


Thwarted Longing

by ACelestialDream



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Sith Era - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance, SWTOR, Sith Pureblood, Twi'lek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-13
Updated: 2015-08-24
Packaged: 2018-01-01 10:55:34
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 33
Words: 91,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1044003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ACelestialDream/pseuds/ACelestialDream
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For three hundred years, Lord Scourge has lived under a curse imposed upon him during his time serving as the Emperor’s executioner.  Now he is a fugitive, teamed in an uneasy alliance with a talented Twi’lek Jedi.  Against the Council’s advice, Tal’ilavi attempts to cure Scourge, willing to risk the consequences of restoring a powerful Sith to his full potential.  [Takes place mostly post Act III of the knight story.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Occasional snippets of dialogue throughout the story have been borrowed from the game, thanks to the writers at Bioware.

    Lord Scourge paced the inner sanctum of the Emperor’s private space station.  He could feel the intruders approaching, but they were scattered instead of traveling together.  That would be only the first mistake in their undoing.

    The Emperor waited on the throne at Scourge’s back, silent and unmoving, looking like nothing more than a stone statue.  His presence was an immeasurable weight, filled with a dark power so potent that it would crush the mind any common mortal.  As the Emperor’s most trusted servant, Scourge was immune, yet he still recalled all too well the mind-blowing agony the Emperor had once inflicted on him with a mere touch to his mind.

    A Jedi was at the entrance now, pausing on the other side of the door, just out of view.  She had someone else with her, a Force-blind, and Scourge wondered what foolish man would be stupid enough to throw his life away on behalf of this Jedi.  Were the lot of them really this misguided?

    The door opened, and the Jedi and her companion entered.  The Jedi surveyed the round sanctum, looking to the singular bridge that led across the central chasm.  There on the dais in the center, Scourge and the Emperor waited.  It didn’t matter to Scourge who this Jedi was.  He took in her measure with disinterest, noting her youth and the two head-tails that swayed across her back, designating her as a Twi’lek.  More interesting to him was the feel of power that shifted around her, restless and volatile, and bright as a star.  Was the Jedi Order truly so desperate that they would send this youngster, whose talent was obviously raw and unrefined, to take on the Emperor alone?  She must be a diversion, he decided, sacrificed to distract him while other opponents approached for the real fight.

    The Emperor seethed behind him, both insulted and amused at what he perceived as a mere slave attempting to confront him.  Scourge knew better by now than to judge a Jedi by these outer trappings, however.  He had faced many of the Republic’s finest, and knew that one should not underestimate the power of the galaxy’s lesser races.  Scourge soaked up the Emperor’s rage just the same, letting it fill him.  Ever since being transformed by the Emperor’s dark alchemy, Scourge could no longer access his own pool of feelings.  Instead he drew from the Emperor’s endless well of dark power, and had become adept in seeking out the emotions of his opponents to feast on instead.

Scourge’s impairment was the result of a curse.  The Emperor had extended the limits of Scourge’s body, giving him increased strength and endurance, and had granted him the most power gift of all - that of immortality.  But as with all things associated with the dark side, there was a price to pay.  Over time, Scourge had grown numb, both physically and mentally.  He had learned to compensate for these hindrances.

    Scourge reached out then to sample the Jedi’s emotions, like a swimmer might dip a toe into untested waters.  He found her to be nervous, determined, driven by conviction and the righteousness of her cause.  The Jedi Order espoused mindfulness over unchecked passions, yet Scourge knew from experience that it was a rare Jedi indeed who didn’t harbor some inner reserve of unacknowledged emotion.  No matter how well guarded, Scourge could almost always find the cracks in their resolve and exploit them.  He didn’t have to work very hard, however, to touch this Jedi’s thoughts.  They flowed from her readily, almost as if she possessed little protective barrier against his prying at all.  She was confident, even a bit prideful, but she was not the Jedi who would someday defeat the Emperor, as Scourge had long ago foreseen.  This one would be easy pickings.  He looked forward to feasting on her fear.

    Scourge drew his lightsaber and held it out before him.

    “You violate the Emperor’s sanctum.  There is only one punishment.  You will face it alone since your friends are already dead.”  That was untrue, but it would behoove him to get this Jedi out of the way before her compatriots arrived.

    “Hey!” the puny human at her side piped up, “I’m right here, you know!  She’s not alone.”

    Scourge ignored him.  The Jedi was crossing the bridge, getting closer, displaying no hesitation.  Fear bled from her, just as he expected, faint but steady, and it tingled across Scourge’s consciousness like a spark ready to combust.  He reached out and seized upon it, siphoning strength from her weakness and using it to bolster his own power.  It built to a crest inside him, tense and primed for release.

She paused at the edge of the dais and looked up at him.  The set of her eyes, the high cheekbones, the tight mouth and delicate chin; Scourge knew this face.  No, he decided, it was merely a coincidence.  There was no way this Jedi could be the one from his vision.

    She took her own weapon from her belt and set it alight.

    “You will surrender or die,” she said.

Such brave words.  He admired her courage at least.

    “We will see about that.”

    She sprang at him, eager to claim the first strike.

Only then did he understand.

    A veil dropped over him, intangible and unseen, yet no less real.  The emotions he had easy touched upon moments before -- the Jedi’s apprehension, fear and doubt -- vanished, slicing off the reserve from which Scourge had been drawing.  He was momentarily blinded, startled as he was, but he instantly adjusted his expectations.  He extended his reach, striking out towards her mind, but he found nothing there to latch onto.  She was like a cloaked ship.  Scourge knew what had been there, but now he felt no emotion at all.  Her mind was empty and focused and filled with the light of the Force.  It was her shield, her armor, the honed edge of the finest weapon, and she controlled it with ease, like it was a part of her being.

She flew through the air like an acrobat, propelled by what appeared to be an effortless connection to the Force, and landed steady on her feet, sending a hail of blows at him like some relentless battle droid.  She knew tactics, he discovered, and exhibited a natural grace and agility that was more than just a result of training.  Her combat skill took him by surprise.  She was clearly gifted in the arts of war.

Scourge had fought Jedi masters before, ones who exhibited remarkable control over the Force and over themselves, but never had he expected to find such expertise in one so young.  What kind of strange prodigy was this?  She was one with her thoughts and with her every move.  She _was_ the Force.  How could anyone exhibit such a broad disparity in skill from one moment to the next?  Had it been a trick?

    She had taken him off guard, and that had cost Scourge dearly.  He switched tactics, pulling power now from the Emperor’s vast darkness instead.   The dark side infused this place and radiated from the Emperor himself like waves of heat, and Scourge found strength there, enough to push her back and to deal a few solid blows.  He swung and clipped the edge of her left wrist, leaving behind a smoking hole in the metal of her wrist guard.  He felt her acknowledgement of the pain, but it was fleeting, and then she was back again in full force, striking at him like a speedy little cyclone, pushing forward in a relentless barrage of hits.

    Scourge spun, throwing out an elbow aimed for her throat.  It missed its exact target, but landed solidly against her collarbone, sending a shock up his arm.  She cried out and was flung backwards to the ground.  For a moment, she looked dazed and Scourge advanced upon her, certain now that he could deal a killing blow.  She glared at him, the fire in her eyes unquenched even by pain, and next thing Scourge knew, she rebounded to her feet and met his strike.  The light of his lightsaber washed across her countenance, and for a fleeting second, her features were burned into Scourge’s mind.

    That face.  He recognized it.  So like the face in his vision.

    He blinked and she was on him, slamming him in the chest with a surprise strike from the hilt of her lightsaber, followed by a very unexpected kick to the groin.  Now where had she learned to fight like that?  It took the wind out of him, but he felt no pain from it, and he flashed her a grim smile that he hoped would unnerve her.  She gritted her teeth and emitted a very unJedi-like snarl, but if her outburst had been accompanied by any surge of emotion, she hid it well.  She retained her calm demeanor while increasing the ferocity of her attacks.  Scourge was vaguely aware that her companion was sending sprays of kolto at her, and he switched his attention temporarily in the man’s direction.  Scourge reached through the Force and grabbed the man by the throat, then threw him backwards into the room’s far wall.  The man hit the wall with a echoing clang, slumped to the floor and fell still.

    The Jedi didn’t flinch or even look in the man’s direction, but Scourge felt a flicker of concern from her.  It wasn’t much, but it was the first sign of weakness that Scourge had seen.  He surged into the split-second opening and dealt a stinging blow to her ribs, then caught her in another back-handed slice to her upper arm.  The first cut broke through her armor, and the second startled her.  She spun away from him, her pale robe swirling about her legs as she came to a stop just out of reach.

    Scourge stalked around her in a slow circle.

    “Are you ready to give up, Jedi?”

    She lifted her chin.  “We’ve only just begun.”

    Scourge studied her carefully.  He did indeed recognize this Jedi.  He had met her on Quesh and had been startled then by her resemblance to the Jedi of his vision.  During their brief exchange, he had decided to let her leave with her life, purposefully choosing passivity over action, something which he normally would never condone.  But he had seen first hand the power of Force-guided visions and had felt the need, no the _urgency_ , to let this future play out how it would with little interference.  He had still been unsure then, and had wanted time to contemplate and watch.

    This Jedi’s face, that same face - how could it be a coincidence? - was impossible to ignore.  It wasn’t only that his recollection of the vision was so precise, even after all these years, or even because the vision had been so unmistakably vivid.  It was because the face he had seen looked so much like this moment - that fierce expression, the determined set of her eyebrows - he had seen it before.  The face in his vision had had pale green skin, but the effects of the Emperor’s immortality ritual had long ago washed out all semblance of color from his eyesight, so on this account he couldn’t be sure.

    What did it mean?  Scourge had fully expected to wait years for this moment to arrive, but never had he guessed that it would take more than three lifetimes before it came to pass.  He had clung to hope, even after war was declared between the Empire and the Republic, that somehow the total destruction that the Emperor planned could be stopped.  If this Jedi were here now, in this throne room and mere meters away from the Emperor, did that mean that the moment Scourge had foreseen was about to pass?  Would today be the day that the mad Emperor was at last defeated?

    The gravity of what he was about to possibly witness struck him then, and Scourge realized that he stood poised at a juncture in time where everything could be decided.  Long ago, Revan had told him that visions only showed possibilities for the future, and were not assured.  What was the outcome of this battle supposed to be?  Was he meant to be defeated?  The irony in that was not lost on him.  His fateful choice that day so long past, when he had chosen to live in order to see this vision fulfilled, even if that meant betraying his comrades, had been based on his belief that he too was meant to play a role in the Emperor’s demise.  But what if it was all in vain?  Three hundred years spent enacting a mindless devotion to an Emperor he despised, only to discover that he was meant to be a witness and nothing more?  That perhaps it all would have happened regardless, even without his sacrifice?

    The Jedi saw his concentration falter and took advantage of this momentary handicap.  She leapt at him, and then feinted unexpectedly, following up with a more powerful lunge that threw him off balance.  Before he could recover, she kicked one of his feet out from under him, and used the Force to throw him backwards, toppling him over.  He had to toss out a hand to catch his fall, but he parried another strike as the world tilted sideways.  The Jedi wouldn’t be able to kill him, he knew, but she could still maim him beyond the ability to fight, and he would be forced to retreat in order to heal himself.  He got to one knee as her lightsaber descended toward his face and thrust his own out to meet it.  Instead, her lightsaber grazed in a line across his wrist, a deep cut which sliced through the tendons there, rendering his right hand useless.  He watched helplessly as his own blade slipped out of his hand and fell to the ground.  He looked up to see the Jedi standing over him with the tip of her lightsaber poised beneath his chin.

    The doors behind them blew open and three more Jedi burst in, lightsabers drawn.  From the elevated throne on the dais, the Emperor rose, taking his time, not out of weakness or infirmity, but as a gesture that showed he still did not consider these intruders a threat worth reacting to.

    Scourge waited for the gathered Jedi to strike at the Emperor.   _Do it!_ his mind screamed. _Do it now!_  He could feel the Emperor gathering power around him, drawing immense quantities of dark side energy into himself as if he were an endless void yearning to be filled. He was saying something, taunting the newcomers, and they stood by offering useless platitudes of mercy and redemption.  Were they truly that blind?  The air charged and hissed and the Emperor threw out his hands.

    The lightning storm that followed engulfed them all, and Scourge had to scurry away to avoid being caught in it.  The group of Jedi tried valiantly to block the Emperor’s strike, but they didn’t hold up long.  Scourge watched from the shadows as one by one, all the Jedi, including the one from his vision, spasmed under the Emperor’s rain of destruction and fell to the ground.

    What was going on?  This wasn’t supposed to happen!  He stared at the Twi’lek Jedi, willing her to get up, to surprise them all with some unexpected trick, but nothing happened.  Scourge’s hopes fell.  Was it not yet the right time afterall, or had the pivotal moment come and gone?  Surely it was not meant to be over just like that.  He knew what he had seen, and he had seen a Jedi, _that_ Twi’lek Jedi that lay on the ground now, striking down the Emperor.  It would happen.  And it would happen soon. Scourge decided then that he would do whatever it took to see this Jedi’s fate realized.


	2. Chapter 2

_Four months later_

    “Are you sure you don’t want me to come along?  You know, in case old tentacle-face tries something funny?”

    Twi’lek Jedi Tal’ilavi turned around to see her Padawan standing in the doorway of the small transport ship.

    “Thanks, Kira.  But if he does, he’ll regret it.”

    Kira may have been Tal’ilavi’s Padawan, but in reality, Tali thought of her as more of a little sister. Tali’s childhood had been spent on the streets, as had Kira’s, and both had come into the Jedi Order at an older age than was norm.  Kira’s irreverent humor and casual manner may have ruffled a few of the more traditional Jedi, but Tali could relate and felt right at home in her company.  And Tali wasn’t a typical Jedi herself.

Maybe it was because Tali’s Force sensitivity had been discovered late, giving her many formative years in the company of rascals and vagabonds, but Tali’s philosophy was to trust her gut instinct over blind rule following any day.  And now, after a string of impressive achievements, the Jedi Council gave her considerable freedom, preferring to focus on her results and less on her methods, as long as she didn’t venture too far afield.  And so it was that Tali had abandoned the unpalatable notion that Jedi needed to be vigilant in avoiding so called “attachments,” and had instead welcomed a strong friendship with Kira.

Tali may not have taken to a strict interpretation of Jedi rules, but recently she had gone and broken a pretty big one.  She had allied herself with a notorious Pureblood Sith with a rather fearsome reputation, and over the last few months, the two of them had developed a workable - if tense - relationship.  Scourge had been ornery and difficult at times, but Tali had found him to be curious and interesting company.  In spite of their differences, Scourge and Tali shared the same goal.  They both had wanted to stop the Sith Emperor from completing a devastating ritual intended to destroy the galaxy.  Scourge had assisted in the rescue of Tali and her crew after their capture at the Emperor’s space station, and later had given invaluable help in tracking down the Emperor in his lair on Dromund Kaas.  Tali knew that their mission would never have succeeded without him.  In the end, all of her crew, even Scourge, had been granted the Republic Cross of Glory for their heroism in defeating the Emperor.

    “I just don’t trust him, Tali.  Why couldn’t he say whatever it was over the holo?  Why insist upon it being in person?”

    Tali tried to give Kira her most reassuring smile.  “Lord Scourge has been true to his word so far.  I still plan to be careful, though, you can count on that.”

    Kira let out a resigned sigh.  “I’m here to if you need me.  Be safe out there.”

    Tali gave Kira a nod and one final wave before turning to head up the trail.  In truth, she was concerned.  Scourge had ended their partnership a week ago on friendly terms - if any relationship with a Sith could be called “friendly” - and she had heard nothing from him until today, when he had sent her a cryptic holocall.

    “We need to speak again, Jedi.”  Even when seen in miniature over holo, Scourge cut a forbidding figure.  At least over holo Tali didn’t have to put a cramp in her neck just trying to talk to him, which was an improvement.   He glared at Tali from under his strong eyebrow ridges, his face set in a permanent frown.  Was it simply a part of their biology that made all Sith Purebloods look so perpetually angry?  Tali had tried to joke with him on occasion, but usually he just glowered at her without saying a word, although once she had gotten an eye roll out of him.

    “What’s this about?” she asked.

    “The Emperor.  I will say no more than that.  This is not a conversation to be had over holocommunicator.”

    And so Tali had agreed to meet with him at his designated coordinates, which ended up being on this rocky mesa on the planet Makeb.  Make that a remote, windy, cliffside mesa with nothing but blue sky and death-inducing drops all around it.  Tali paused.  Was Scourge luring her here to kill her?

    Tali disliked the thought that Scourge would turn against her, but long ago he had betrayed the last two Jedi whom he had joined forces with.  He had been unapologetic in relaying this story to her, claiming that in the end, he had delivered them to the Emperor in order to secure his own life once he foresaw that they would fail in their quest.  She was different however, or so he’d led her to believe.  He had seen a vision of the true Jedi who would defeat the Emperor and that Jedi, he claimed, was her.  Flattering to be sure, until Tali realized that Scourge believed in the truth of this vision wholeheartedly and was not just trying to win her over.

He wanted to speak with her about the Emperor now, but the Emperor was dead.  Tali had stepped over his lifeless body herself after striking him down.  Yet, shortly after the battle, Scourge had expressed doubts.  His concern had been all but forgotten in the wake of the crew being showered with accolades and awards.  Tali had meant to ask Scourge about it, but the conversation had never happened.

Anxiety gripped her.  Scourge had one, single minded goal and that was to see the Emperor stopped.  If he wanted to talk about the Emperor now, and feared the holo call being overheard, it could mean only one thing.  The Emperor was still alive.  The thought filled her with dismay.  She recalled all she and her crew had worked so hard for, the sacrifices they had given, the courage they had shown.  How could she face them to tell them it was not over?

If the Emperor was not dead, then that meant she had failed, or failed in Scourge’s eyes at least.  And that also meant Scourge’s interpretation of this vision had been wrong. Tali’s thoughts wrestled themselves in her head.  What new treachery he might be planning?  Years ago, Tali might have approached Scourge assuming innocent intentions.  But now, circumstances had changed, the galaxy had changed, she had changed.  She drew her lightsaber and held the hilt at the ready as she ascended the final loop of the trail.

At the top of the mesa was a tall rock formation, and there in front of it, Tali spotted Scourge, standing with his arms folded, waiting.  He was alone.

Tali crept off the trail and began to circle around.  Lord Scourge was a formidable opponent, but Tali had defeated him once before, and had brought the Emperor himself to his knees.  She was alert and cautious, but she was confident as well.  If it came to it, Scourge would not escape here alive.

She kept her footsteps silent and sure, until Scourge’s back came into view.  He showed no sign that he had detected her, and so Tali readied herself for the attack.  She would not kill him outright, but she would make it so he had little choice but to surrender.

She leapt out from behind the rock, igniting her lightsaber in midair.  She landed on her feet and thrust the glowing blade at his throat, stopping just before impact.

Scourge’s hand flew to his belt, but he quickly drew back and held out his hands instead.  Tali was pleased to see that she had clearly taken him by surprise.

“Oh, my clever little Jedi.”  There was mirth in Scourge’s red eyes.  “You are wise to keep such close tabs on me.  But this time, you are mistaken.  Lower your lightsaber.  There is no need for this.”

“How about you just tell me what you came here to say?”

“No.  I don’t like that arrangement.”  

Scourge became a momentary blur as he pivoted on the balls of his feet, pushing her back with a wave of dark energy.  She flew backwards, coming perilously close to the edge of the mesa, and saw out of the corner of her vision Scourge’s own lightsaber called to his hand in an instant.  Tali lunged forward again in an Force-enhanced leap, but he met her, blade for blade, blocking her strike.  Their sabers stalled at an impasse, sputtering together, and Scourge looked down at her.

He was unusually calm.  Tali felt a spark of annoyance kindle inside her.

“I won’t let you get away with this,” she said.  “I have brought the Emperor low, and I will defeat him again if I have to, with or without your help.”

“You misunderstand my intentions.  I am not here to kill you.”

“Could’ve fooled me.  Why are you resisting now?”

“This is not a discussion I want to have at the end of your blade.  Put away your weapon and we will talk in a civilized manner.”

Was it a trick?  Tali reached out and lightly touched Scourge’s mind.  She was hesitant to do this, because with every attempt to link with him, however small, he gained a new advantage over her.  He was adept at discerning the weaknesses of others, and Tali was wary of letting him get too close.

She felt no deception in him however, only amusement and, oddly, a smug satisfaction.  Tali drew away, taking a few cautious steps backwards.

Scourge put away his lightsaber.  “Such fire in you.  You have missed your true calling.”

“What do you want, Scourge?”

“The Emperor’s body is dead, but his essence survives.  I am sure of it.”

“Doesn’t that invalidate your vision?”

“My vision is true.  The Emperor is no longer the ruling power in this galaxy.  He is greatly weakened, but we must make sure that he never recovers.”

Then, unexpectedly, Scourge dropped to one knee before her.  “I wish to reaffirm my loyalty to you.  I will fight at your side until the Emperor’s influence is vanquished for good.”

Tali said nothing, too startled to speak.  Scourge was closer to her height when kneeling than he was when standing.  He was searching her face, waiting for a response, his red eyes intent.

“Do you doubt me?”  Scourge’s voice was quiet.  “I have never been dishonest with you, Jedi.”

“No, I believe you.”  Tali sheathed the hilt of her lightsaber.  “I accept your offer.”

“Good.”  Scourge rose.  “We cannot touch the Emperor now while he languishes in a disembodied state.  But we can assure that he has no assistance in recouping his strength.  He has other servants who still do his bidding.  They will be hard to locate, but if we could eliminate them, the Emperor will find that he has no foothold left in this galaxy.  This could take time, Jedi.”

Scourge’s eyes locked with hers, and Tali felt like there was some unspoken question being asked here.  She guessed he was implying that this next partnership of theirs could be a long lasting one.  She may not have trusted Scourge, but she found herself not displeased by the thought of working alongside him once again.  In spite of his threatening appearance, he was not a stereotypical Sith brute.  He was intelligent and well spoken, and their verbal sparring had kept her on her toes.  He made life, well, _interesting_.

“Your help is welcome.”

“I doubt the rest of your crew will be so eager to welcome me back.”  Scourge fell into step alongside her as they descended the trail.  His shadow easily enveloped hers as they walked.  Tali couldn’t shake the feeling that she was broaching new territory with this renewed alliance.

00o00

    The droid was cleaning the galley kitchen when Tali entered.

    “What do you want me to do with this meal, Master?”  He pointed to an untouched plate on the counter.  Tali knew immediately whose it was.

    “I’ll take care of it.”  She picked it up and made her way through the ship to the storage room.  Scourge had taken over his usual spot now that he was back on her starship.  He had refused to sleep in the crew quarters, claiming that his presence disturbed the rest of the crew and made it impossible for anyone, him included, to get any sleep.  Tali had not disagreed and had given him a cot in the storage room of the ship.  It was not the most glamorous of quarters, but it was clean and quiet, and Scourge seemed to prefer it.  The door was cracked open, but Tali knocked anyway.

    “Come in.”

    Tali stepped in to find Scourge seated on his cot, reading a datapad.  He dwarfed the tiny bed, his weight sinking into the thin mattress, lowering it so close to the floor that his knees were practically up by his chin.

    “You forgot to eat again.”  She held out the tray.

    “Right.”  Scourge dropped the datapad and rose, taking the tray from her.  He began shoveling food into his mouth as if clearing the plate was a chore that he wanted to finish as soon as possible.

    “Don’t forget to breathe while you’re at it.”

    Scourge paused long enough make a huffing noise and shot her one of his typical red eyed glares.  “It’s sustenance, nothing more.”

    Scourge’s long years of tenure as the Emperor’s personal executioner had wrought changes in him.  When Tali had first met Scourge, she was shocked to discover that he claimed to be immortal, saying the Emperor had altered him through a combination of Sith alchemy and dark ritual. Since then, Tali had seen Scourge survive wounds that no mortal should have been able to heal from, and a little digging had turned up records confirming that he had occupied the position of Emperor’s Wrath for over three hundred years.  Now he was a fugitive, and another Wrath had been appointed in his place, yet he remained tethered to the Emperor still, linked in ways that Tali did not quite comprehend.

    “So...I’m sorry I almost tried to kill you the other day.”   _We’re off to an awkward start_ , Tali thought.

    Scourge looked up and raised an eyebrow.  “You were thinking like a Sith.  I approve.”

    “That’s exactly what I don’t like about it.”

    There was the faintest curve to his lip.  Was it a smile?  He thrust the empty plate back at her and started to turn away before she could decide.  Tali changed the subject.

    “Is there any way to break the Emperor’s hold on you?”

    He tossed her a glance over his shoulder and picked up the datapad again.  “The Emperor is stronger than any Jedi or Sith.  No one can escape him.”

    “But he is weakened now.  Perhaps with some help, we could set you free of him.  Maybe even restore your...well, everything you have lost.”

    Scourge shrugged.  “It is the price of immortality.”

    “But is the price you paid worth it?”

    Scourged rounded on her.  “To lose everything that made me Sith?  Taste, smell, touch, color, emotion - the Emperor and I experience _none_ of these things.  Immortality is nothing but a burden.  To experience these simple pleasures again, would be worth…” he paused, closing his eyes, “anything.”

    For a moment, Tali could think of nothing to say.  Even the strictest Jedi would never forbid such basic joys. Tali tried to imagine not being able to see the colors in a beautiful sunset or enjoy a stroll through a scented garden.  The thought horrified her.  Yet every day, Scourge lived a life of such extreme asceticism that even those things were denied to him.  No one deserved to live like that, not even Scourge.

    “I’ll see what I can do.”  As Tali left, Scourge waved a hand dismissively at her.   _He doesn’t believe it can be done.  I wonder if I can prove him wrong._


	3. Chapter 3

    In a blur of brilliant green, Tali’s lightsaber sliced the armored mercenary in half, and she whirled to block the blaster fire of another who was sitting on a turret nearby.  Out of the corner of her eye she was aware of Scourge fighting beside her, cutting through their opponents like a moving mountain of destruction.  She had fought many Sith, and was used to their fierce yells and taunts, but Scourge was a silent menace, dispatching enemies with rarely a word.  She may not have been able to trust Lord Scourge, but together in battle they were unstoppable.

    As his opponent fell, Scourge leapt towards the Regulator who was shooting at Tali from the turret, landing on the foothold of the seat.  The man’s head snapped in Scourge’s direction, a look of surprise and terror stamped on his face.  Scourge raised his fist and for a moment it lit up as he encased it in a net of Force lightning, then he drove it into the man’s face.   The Regulator was knocked clear off the turret, killed before his body had even left the chair.

From up on a ledge Tali caught movement.  Another Regulator was there, fumbling with an object on his belt.  He yanked a detonator from its hold and drew his arm back to throw.

    Tali hurled her lightsaber at him, tossing it into a spin, and it flew through the air in a perfectly aimed strike.  But she had not been fast enough, and she saw the detonator leave his hand.  She threw out a wave of Force energy, blowing the detonator back towards the mercenary camp, but before she could see where it was aimed to land, a furred shape jumped from the ledge and bashed into her.  She had heard of the Regulators taming the local beasts here on Makeb, but this thing was acting anything but tame.  She called forth a bubble of Force power to protect herself and drove her elbow into the creature’s throat.  From between the animal’s front paws she could see her lightsaber lying on the ledge next to the dead body of the Regulator.  She she pulled it to her with Force power, then thrust the glowing blade up through the creature’s chest.  It howled in a death cry and she kicked it off her.

    Before she could stand, a shadow fell over her and a huge arm yanked her to her feet.  Then Scourge’s voice was in her ear.

    “Detonator hit an ammunitions pile.  Run!”

    Tali spun on her toes, nearly losing her balance, and threw herself into a Force powered jump.  As soon as her feet left the earth, she heard the explosion behind her.  A scorching wave of heat enveloped her, roaring in her ears and propelling her forward at a much faster speed than she had intended.  Something crashed into her from behind, and Tali feared that she had been hit by a huge piece of shrapnel, but then she felt Scourge’s arms locking around her.  Her vision blurred and chunks of metal, stresscrete and dirt sped past her.  The ground was flying up awfully fast and Tali tucked her body into a ball in preparation for the impact.

    Against her, she felt Scourge doing the same, his huge bulk curling over her.  He hit the ground and spun into a roll, taking Tali with him, still clutching her against his chest and blocking her from the brunt of the collision.  They skid to a stop in the dirt with Scourge’s body arching over hers.  She drew the Force around the both of them, shielding them from the blistering heat as the remainder of the explosion passed over them.  Then, at last, silence descended.

    She became aware of Scourge breathing hard against her, and could feel the touch of his facial jewelry against one of her lekku.  For a moment neither of them moved, and then Scourge uncurled from around her.  Tali got to her feet.

    She knew better than to thank him.  Shows of gratitude implied altruistic motives which he was always quick to deny.  So instead she offered a complement.

    “Nice move.”

    He nodded to her and dusted himself off.  “You are uninjured?”

    “I think so.”

    His eyes scanned her from head to toe and then he grunted as if satisfied.  Tali pulled out her holopad.

    “Well, we obviously took a wrong turn somewhere.  I wasn’t expecting to encounter a Regulator camp here.  I think we need to take the low path across the mesa next time.”

    She tapped through a few maps of the area, first a road map and then a topographical one.

    “All right.  I’ve got it now.  We lost a little time but I can holo Kira and let her--Scourge, you’re hurt.”

    Tali lowered the holopad and pointed to the ground at Scourge’s feet.  A dark puddle was forming next to his left boot.  “You’re bleeding pretty badly actually.  Where’s it coming from?”  She’d discovered that since Scourge couldn’t feel pain, he was sometimes oblivious to even major wounds.

    He held up his left arm, glancing at the sleeve of his armor, which was clearly soaked.  “I’m fine.  We can take care of it later.”

    “Well, you’re making a mess then.  There’s no way I’m going to let you trot around dripping gore like that.”

    “I wasn’t planning on doing much ‘trotting,’ Jedi.  You’re wasting time.”

    Tali ignored him and put away the holopad.  “I’m getting you cleaned up.  Hang on.”  She got Kira on the holo to inform her that they were behind schedule.

    “What’s going on?  You two ok?”  Kira’s image appeared in Tali’s hand.

    “We got into a bit trouble and Scourge got hit with some shrapnel.  We’ll be along once we get him patched up.”

    “What’s this about shrapnel?  And unless Scourge is missing a limb, I doubt he’ll even notice.”

    “Give us another hour.  See you then.”  Tali cut the transmission and let out a loud sigh.

    Scourge had peeled off his armored chest piece and was craning his neck to inspect the back of his upper arm.  He was covered in blood.  It was a scene made even weirder by Scourge’s preternatural calm.

    “Your undershirt’s soaked.  You better-”  Tali’s suggestion was cut short as Scourge grabbed a fistful of his shirt and tugged, ripping the sleeve off at the shoulder.

    “Well, that works too, I guess.”

There was a large gash along the back of his bicep and it looked deep.  Tali pulled out a medpac and began rummaging through it.  Since he didn’t need any painkillers, she could get right to work on getting a coagulant applied to stop the bleeding.

    Scourge saw her headed towards him and slumped onto a nearby rock, staring ahead.

    Once she got the bleeding slowed, Tali laid a hand gently over the gash.  She was competent with only the basic forms of Force healing which all Jedi would introduced to, which should be enough until they got Scourge to a better equipped medcenter.  In time, the wound would also heal itself through whatever dark power kept Scourge alive, but she wasn’t sure how long this would take and had never tried to find out.

    She took her time, wrapping herself in the light of the living Force, feeling it course through her and out her palm.  She could feel the dark smudge of power that infused Scourge’s flesh fighting her attempts to heal while simultaneously trying to take over and do the deed itself.  She tried to work around it, but the sensation was distracting.  When she finished, she opened her eyes, her hand lingering for a moment against Scourge’s arm.  The interior tissue damage was still considerable, but at least the wound was closed now and no longer bleeding freely.

    Tali had fought Sith Purebloods before, but had never been so close to one during a calm moment like this.  There were countless alien races within the Republic, but Purebloods were unique to the Empire and it was rare to see them elsewhere.  Many of them seemed larger than life, with their bright eyes, scarlet skin and sharp, pointed faces.  Scourge shared the features of this ancient lineage, but there was an extra charisma about him that felt both weighty and compelling.  Tali couldn’t imagine letting her guard down around any Sith, let alone Scourge, but she realized that she enjoyed the thrill of his company.  He was irritable and sullen at times, but he was also insightful and decisive, open to her questions, and curious - if not supportive - of Jedi ways.

He was sitting now with his head bowed and his back to her, his gaze trained on his clasped hands.  His arm muscles beneath her palm were corded and strong, and she could easily conjure up the sensation once again of them fitted tightly around her.  He had warned her of the impending blast, and Tali would have expected nothing more from a combat partner than that.  But Scourge had gone a step further, making an effort to protect her from the fallout, and had showed concern afterwards that she was well. It was also his suggestion that he come with her on this mission in the first place, since both Doc and Kira were laid up sick on the ship with some annoying local virus. _It means nothing_ , she told herself.   _He wants to keep me alive so that I can fulfill his vision.  That’s all._

Tali rarely got to have such a detailed look at Scourge’s face like this, but with him seated he was closer to her eye level than normal.  Purebloods were known for having bony ridges and facial tendrils and Scourge had both.  Tali could see now though that the striations along Scourge’s skin extended even to the back of his bald scalp, where a ribbon of little v-shaped lines was present.  Tali did not care much for human facial hair, considering it too prickly and preferring instead the smooth, hairless skin of her own Twi’lek race.  Scourge’s facial tendrils took the place of where a human’s beard and mustache would be, but they looked soft, a decided contrast from the protruding ridges along Scourge’s eyebrows.  She wondered what it would feel like to touch one.   _What am I thinking?  This is crazy._

    Scourge startled her out of her reverie by sliding an arm around her waist, swivelling towards her and drawing her close.  She was too taken off guard at first to react.

    “I can feel your desire, Jedi.”  His voice was a rumble against her throat.  “It is a pale shade of what my own used to feel like, but I welcome the feel of it once again through you.”

    Tali resisted the urge to push away from him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of feeling her struggle.  This was nonsense.  She didn’t feel that way about Scourge!  Did she?  The thought that she could have revealed such personal musings chagrined her.

    Tali made the mistake then of catching his gaze, and was held fast in a red-eyed stare, his face close near hers.  He slid a hand around one of her lekku, drawing it slowly through his fingers.

    “The Sith in me is eager to oblige you...”  The end of her lekku dropped lightly from his outstretched hand.  “...but I cannot.  All pleasures of the body are denied to me.”  He looked away suddenly and released her.

    Tali stumbled backwards, trying to gather her composure.

“All right, I find you attractive, I admit it.”  She tried to will away the blush that was creeping up the pale green skin of her cheeks.  “But that’s as far it goes.  I am not a slave to vice like the Sith.”

    “Is that so?” Scourge stood. “Then you have nothing to fear from me.”

    He walked away.  Tali took a few slow breaths and then followed.

00o00

    Now it was Tali’s turn to be ill.  She sat propped in bed, fading in and out of a light doze, when she heard a noise in the doorway.  Her eyelids felt as heavy as weights, but she managed to pry them open.

    It was Scourge.

    “Hi,” she said.  She tried to sit up further, feeling the urge to tug her bed covers a bit higher.  She didn’t really feel like being social, and talking to Scourge always seemed to require effort.  She was wary and alert when he was near, and today her heart was fluttering a little too fast in her chest.   _I hate being sick_ , she thought.

    Scourge came into the room, walking stiffly.  He held out a bowl.

    “Hey, you brought me my soup.”  Tali took it from him and balanced it on the tray in front of her.  There was no way Scourge had done this act of kindness without there being another, more practical reason for his visit, so Tali looked up, waiting for him to reveal it.

    “I’ve found one of the Emperor’s Hands.  They are the Emperor’s personal servants who act as his agents throughout the galaxy.  I don’t know how many of them are left, but there could be at least a dozen.”

    Ah, there it was.  Tali wasn’t really in the mood to talk business, let alone something as weighty as the Emperor, but she tried to stay focused.

    “Oh?”

    “It’s a fortuitous lead.  I recommend we pursue it.”

    “It’s a start.  Can it wait a few days though?  I’m...not quite myself.”

    “I see that.  It can wait.”

    “Good.”  Tali sipped her soup, expecting Scourge to leave, but he was still there, casting a huge shadow over her bed.

    Finally, he spoke again.  “You said you thought there might be a way to...cure me.”

    Tali looked up.  “I have a few ideas.  I was thinking of enlisting the Council’s help.”

    “No.”  Scourge cut his hand through the air.  “The last time I was in the presence of your Council, I felt nothing but a jumble of hate, disgust and fear from them.  They will not help me and they resent my presence.”

    “I know.”  Tali sighed.  There was no use denying it.  “But they are some of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy and I expect it will take their combined efforts to heal you.”

    “Then it is a useless endeavor.  Besides, it is not only Sith ritual which transformed me. The Emperor did...other things...to my body.”

    Tali looked up.  “Like what?”

    “I remember little of it now.  I do not think it can be undone.”

    “Well, I haven’t given up yet.  I still believe anything is worth a try.  Maybe we cannot undo your immortality, but perhaps we can restore your ability to feel.”

    Scourge was quiet and Tali looked up from her spoon to see him staring at the floor, his face empty and still.  When he spoke again, his voice was soft.

    “I still remember the feel of sunlight on my skin.  The scent of favorite foods.”  He raised his head but his gaze was still unfocused and far away.  “The color of my first love’s eyes.”

    Tali set down her spoon, wincing when it clanked loudly against the bowl.  “You were in love once?”

    Scourge’s eyes flicked to her face.  “Does that surprise you?  Yes, and not _only_ once, although it was a long time ago now.”

    “I’m sorry.”

    “I don’t want your pity.”

    “I mean, I apologize for making an assumption about you.”

    Scourge gave her a barely perceptible nod, then turned around and made for the door.

    “What color?”

    Scourge paused with his back to the bed.

    Tali sat up further, trying not to jostle the tray across her lap.  “What color were your first love’s eyes?”

    “Gold,” he answered.  “Her eyes were the color of sunlight.”  Scourge’s boots thudded against the floor and echoed down the hall as he left.


	4. Chapter 4

    “Stay close to me,” Scourge said.

    Tali didn’t have to be told.  Imperial inspection droids were crawling over the Kaas City spaceport and Tali felt as out of place here as a Wampa on Tatooine.  She had put her trust in Scourge, uneasily, in order to investigate their lead on one the Emperor’s Hands.  And so she had made this trip to the capital world of the Empire -- the very heart of enemy territory -- with Scourge leading the way.

    It was dangerous for him to be here as well, but as a Sith lord, he could easily pass unmolested through checkpoints that would have delayed other travelers.  Interestingly, it seemed his defection was not common knowledge.  Perhaps the Empire was doing damage control by keeping that little fact under wraps, or maybe the Emperor’s personal affairs were simply not well known.  Scourge walked confidently across the spaceport lobby, his bulk carving a path through the crowd, and Tali followed close behind.  She was very consciously aware that Twi’leks were scarce here, and the ones she did see more often than not wore slave collars.  

She had made it clear to Scourge that under no circumstance would she accept taking on a disguise as a slave.  Thankfully he had readily agreed, assuring her that a simple change of wardrobe was all she would need to pass as a Sith.  The last time Tali had been here, she had come as part of a clandestine operation in order to strike at the Emperor.  Now, she and Scourge walked the spaceport like common travelers.  Just a few Sith lords on business.

    A flash of light from a scanning droid swept over her body, causing Tali to blink.  Immediately, the droid begin to spin and squawk, emitting a piercing, high-pitched whistle.  A split second later a door slid open in the wall nearest them, and two combat droids marched out, heading purposely in their direction.

    _Damn!_  Tali had been trying to avoid walking near any of the inspection droids, but they were floating over every meter of this place, and avoiding them was like navigating a minefield.  She shot a panicked look Scourge’s direction.  She was a known Republic war hero, how could she have thought that this plan would ever work?

    “Don’t speak if you can help it,” Scourge said.  The droids were rapidly closing the gap between them.  Tali turned to give him a nod, but saw that Scourge was already advancing to meet the droids, a lightsaber readied in his grip.  When they came in range, Scourge lunged, piercing the innards of the first droid with a forward thrust.  He pulled the blade loose and dropped his arm low, jabbing backwards to skewer the second.  Then he rotated on the balls of his feet and sliced the top off from the spinning inspection droid.  The droid fell silent and collapsed to the ground.  It was all over in the span of a few heartbeats.

    Tali became aware of the startled exclamations of onlookers and the approach now of a new threat: a trio of Imperial soldiers.  Scourge calmly sheathed his weapon and waited for them to arrive.

    The first soldier opened his mouth to speak, but Scourge cut him off before a sound could leave his throat.

    “Your defective droid has insulted and inconvenienced me.  Don’t you do the same.”

    The soldiers gaped at him.  Then the leader managed to find his voice.

    “I am terribly sorry my lord.  I...I don’t know what happened.”

    “Make sure that it never happens again.”

    “We will look into the problem immediately, I assure you!”

    Scourge turned and stalked away, and Tali followed after him, trying to look nonchalant, even though her heart was pounding.  She had been prepared to fight her way out of this place, and now here she was casually strolling out.

    She breathed a sigh of relief when they reached the civilian area of the city.  Everywhere there were signs of a militaristic society at war, however, and Tali made sure to steer clear of the unpleasant looking pacification droids which roamed the streets, their presence supposedly for “keeping order.”  

They took a taxi to one of the many nondescript government buildings and then from there a lift up to the Kaas City security office.  As they stood in the elevator with the floors speeding past them, Tali glanced at Scourge.

“You handled that well back there.  I really thought we were going to be in trouble.”

“There still may be trouble when we try to leave.”  He was staring straight ahead.  “We may have to make other arrangements to fly out or go through a less populated spaceport for our return trip.”

“All in a day’s work though, right?”  Tali forced a laugh, trying to lighten the mood, and Scourge shot her a look.

“I will protect you with everything at my disposal.  I gave you my word.”

Tali started to thank him but stopped herself.  She was getting better at understanding Scourge’s Sith ways.  Instead she crossed her arms, flashed him a grin and tried to affect her haughtiest “Sith lord” voice.

“Well, I expect nothing less from the Emperor’s Wrath.”

“Good,” he answered.  She couldn’t tell if he even realized that she was teasing him.

When they arrived, the man behind the desk looked up and snapped to attention when he saw them enter.

“Can I help you, my lords?”

“You have a Pureblood woman here.  I want to see her.”  Scourge tone’s clearly indicated that he expected compliance to be a given.

“Of course.  Are you...ah...family of hers?”

“No.”  Scourge stared the man down, saying nothing more.

“Oh.  Well, that’s unfortunate.  We have been trying to find relatives.”  He typed something into a databank and then nodded.  “Right this way.”

“How long has she been here?” Scourge asked.

“We picked her up four days ago.  Found her wandering the jungle.  She’s nonsensical I’m afraid, and keeps calling herself someone’s servant.  She won’t even give us her name.”  The officer paused, as if hoping Scourge would supply that information, but when he didn’t, the man continued.  “We ran an identity scan on her, but we found nothing.  I mean, literally nothing.  It’s like she doesn’t exist.  Most strange.”

He led them to an almost empty cell block and then directed them down the hall.  “Last cell in this row.  Can’t miss her.”

The officer started to turn away, but Scourge held up hand.

“I need you to drop the energy barrier on her cell.”

“My lord, we normally don’t-”

“That isn’t a request.”

The man blinked at Scourge, his eyes flicking over to Tali and then back at Scourge again.  “Certainly, my lords.”

They heard the prisoner’s loud off-tune singing long before they reached the cell.

The woman was seated on the floor, rocking back and forth, keening in some language Tali had never heard, or maybe it was just gibberish.  She didn’t appear to notice or care that her cell had been opened.  She was bent over, her long white hair shielding her like veil.  She jerked still as they approached.

“The way is dark.  Cold.  Servant Eight waits.”

Suddenly, she twisted her fingers into her hair and began to scream, her hands curling into fists.  There was a sickening ripping sound as clumps of her hair came loose in her grip.

“Oh my stars,” Tali said over the din, unable to hide the horror from her voice.  “What’s   _wrong_ with her?”

“Why?” Servant Eight wailed.  She dragged the word out into a tremulous ululation, her voice spiraling higher.  “WHY?”

Finally she doubled over, sobbing quietly.

“She is broken.  Perhaps it occurred when you attacked the Emperor, or maybe he has discarded her, but either way it will be difficult to extract anything from her now.”

At the sound of Scourge’s voice, Servant Eight sat up and turned around.  She was wrinkled like a nut, with sallow maroon skin, almost more gray than red.  She got to her feet, grunting as if the effort pained her.

“You are touched.”  Her finger stretched out and she tapped Scourge’s chest, pulling away again quickly after.  “The void awaits you.  Beware!”

Without warning, her red eyes shot open and her mouth dropped wide.  Tali prepared herself for another scream but none came.  Instead a strange gurgling erupted from her throat, and her hands flew to her head. When she spoke again her voice was a hoarse croak, like a scream that had been forced into a whisper.

“Stop!  Stopstopstopstopstopstop...oh.”

“What’s happening to her?”

“She is in agony,” Scourge answered calmly.  “The Emperor ravages her mind.  There is nothing you can do.’

Tali stood transfixed in a state of repugnance and dismay.  “We...we must help her somehow.  Free her from this pain.”

    Scourge glanced her way.  “The only escape for her is death.  You would kill an unarmed woman?  I did not think the Jedi believed in such things.”

    Tali swallowed, speaking quietly.  “It would be a mercy.”

    Scourge crossed his arms and nodded in the woman’s direction.  “Then do it.”

    Was he mocking her?  Tali looked at Scourge’s face, but she saw nothing there but grave acceptance.  

    Tali removed her lightsaber from her belt and brought it to life in her hand.  In the light of its green glow, Servant Eight looked poisoned and sick.   _It is a mercy_ , Tali thought again.

    She went to the woman and touched her on the shoulder.  Her red eyes looked up into Tali’s.  They were dull, but the look she gave was plaintive.

    “Why?” she whispered.

    “Be at peace now,” Tali said gently. She held her weapon poised before the woman’s heart, and then, as her own face twisted into a grimace, she drove it through her chest.  Tali caught Servant Eight as she slumped to the ground and carefully laid her on the floor.

    She stared a moment at the woman’s lifeless body and then sheathed her weapon.  

“Let’s go.” She nodded to Scourge and then followed him out.

00o00

    Tali stepped into the Council chambers on Tython to find Master Satele and Master Kiwiiks waiting for her.  She gave them each a respectful bow, feeling more nervous than she wanted to admit.

    “Welcome, Tal’ilavi.”  Master Satele nodded and gave Tali a polite smile.  There was a pause before she continued.

    “I understand that you came here seeking our help in a matter concerning Lord Scourge.”

    “Yes,” Tali said.  “I believe we can free him from the effects of the Emperor’s dark ritual, thereby reversing the damage that was done to him.  It will take the cooperation of many Jedi, however.”

    “This would not be a light undertaking.  Why do you want to help Scourge?"

Tali folded her hands in front of her.  She had rehearsed this speech in her head many times.  “Scourge was essential in helping me defeat the Emperor, and the even the Republic has officially recognized the importance of his contributions.  He suffers greatly from this affliction and I believe he deserves the chance to see if he can be helped.”

    Bela Kiwiiks spoke up next.  “Tal’ilavi, I believe your wish to help Lord Scourge comes from a place of kindness and a desire to do good.  But we need to know-” she paused and glanced at Master Satele, who nodded, “Do you think Scourge can be redeemed?”

    Tali’s gaze slunk to the floor.  She could tell where this was going already.  “I don’t know.  He believes strongly in the Sith teachings and has had three hundred years to have them deeply embedded in his ways.  But I do not wish to abandon anyone as a hopeless cause, even a Sith like Scourge.”

    Master Satele nodded, as if expecting this answer.  “I discussed your request with the rest of the Council after you first contacted me.  The Council believes Lord Scourge has no intention of ever relinquishing the dark side.  I admire your optimism, Tal’ilavi, but what you ask could have dangerous consequences.”

    “Does that mean that you are denying my request?”

    “The Council cannot assist you in this.  The Sith use the strength of their emotions to fuel their power.  The Council cannot willfully support an action which is sure to increase the potency of Lord Scourge’s power even further.”

    “I understand,” Tali said quietly.

    Master Satele walked away, but Master Kiwiiks remained.  She stepped forward and placed a hand on Tali’s shoulder.

    “I hear that Lord Scourge has remained with you even now that the fight with the Emperor is over.”

    “He has. He believes the Emperor’s influence still lingers and has offered to stay until he can be sure that his power base has been thoroughly destroyed.”

    Master Kiwiiks nodded.  “I see.  Be mindful of him spending so much time with you.  It is one thing to work with a Sith on a short term basis, but Sith have a way of weaseling into your consciousness and manipulating even your best intentions.”

    “Scourge did not ask me to come here today,” Tali said.  “In fact he discouraged it.  He does not believe he can be helped.”

    “And he may be right.  Let me leave you then with this: Don’t go looking for trouble.”

    “Thank you, Master Kiwiiks.  I will keep that in mind.”

00o00

    Tali lay in bed that night, her thoughts swirling in circles.  What were her motives in wanting to help Lord Scourge?   _Jedi help people.  It is the right thing to do._  It wasn’t really that simple though, was it?

    She thought of the look on Scourge’s face when he had described his memories, the hope in his voice when he had asked if she was really going to help him.  He didn’t sound like a Sith then.  He sounded genuine.  Haunted.  As long as he remained tied to the Emperor, like Servant Eight, he was in danger of succumbing to the same fate.  If Tali had the ability to help him, she _had_ to act.

    Scourge was working for the Republic’s interests now, even if his motives were personal and not political. Tali couldn’t imagine any way that he would be accepted back into the Empire again.  To them he was a traitor of the worst kind.  Even if he could be restored to his original state, Tali couldn’t see how that would hurt the Republic, or the Jedi for that matter.   _The Council refuses to help him simply because he is Sith.  There is no other reason._  

    Scourge cared little for the medals and praise he had received.  Freedom from the Emperor’s curse was the only thing he truly desired.  What had he been like before the Emperor had changed him?  Tali tried to imagine a younger Lord Scourge, before he had turned so jaded.  She tried to picture him surprised, or joyous, or sorrowful.  Or lost in the throes of love.  The last one was the hardest.

    As a Jedi, she had been taught to regard the Sith as the ultimate enemy.  They were dangerous, untrustworthy, ruthless, and cruel.  They were monsters.  These were not just tales either, Tali knew.  Some of the Sith she had fought had felt like wells of darkness, so tainted by evil that they were long past redemption.  She did not often think of the Sith as people who did everyday things, like stub their toes or enjoy a rainbow or have their arms fall asleep while watching holodramas.  Hearing Scourge speak of his longing for simple daily experiences again had had him sound like just a _person_.  Was it dangerous to think of the Sith this way?

Didn’t the Jedi preach compassion?

Tali made up her mind.  If the Jedi Council wouldn’t help Scourge, she would find a way to do so herself.


	5. Chapter 5

Tali left the Temple library, her steps eager and swift.  She found Scourge outside in the dark, dueling a practice droid in the courtyard.  It was hard enough traveling through the Republic with a hulking Sith lord walking at her side; here on Tython, Scourge would have attracted too much attention if he had dared test his skills in front of the Padawans at the academy.  It was late into the evening now, however, and there was no one around to see.  Scourge was pounding the combat droid into submission again and again, resetting it and beginning anew after each victory.  He looked bored.

She approached the edge of the square just as the droid’s holographic head sailed through the air high above her, coming to rest in the grass well outside the practice range.  After a second it flickered and vanished.

Scourge joined her at the side of the dirt arena and nodded to her.  “Do you want to spar?”

“Umm.  No.”

He shrugged.  “Would be a far better challenge than this droid.”  He wandered back into the middle again.  “Did you find anything in the library?”

“Actually, I did.”

Scourge reset the holo sequence and picked up the practice blade he’d left on the dirt.  He began a series of lunges and spins, easily hacking off all the droid’s limbs one by one with a few flourishes for good measure.  If Tali didn’t know better, she would have assumed he was showing off for her.  He wasn’t though.

Was he?

“So,” she called out, hoping he was actually listening, “turns out there’s supposed to be a large power crystal in a cave near the ruins of Kaleth.  That’s not far from here.  I was thinking...we could use it to concentrate our power and consolidate it, creating Force energy that is far more potent than either of us could achieve alone.  With the crystal, we may not even need the help of other Jedi.”

Scourge stopped and turned to face her.  “You really think this could work?”

“I think it’s worth a try.”

“Why are you doing this for me?”  Scourge gave Tali a careful look.

    “You helped me defeat the Emperor.  I doubt I could have accomplished that without you.”

    “I did not do this _for_ you,” Scourge said.  “but rather _because_ of you.  Do not confuse the two.  You owe me nothing.”

    Tali put a hand on her hip.  “A little gratitude wouldn't kill you, you know.”  He was being an irascible pain.

    “I’ll be grateful if it works.  I just want you to know that none of your Jedi charity is necessary.”

    “Your opinion has been noted.  Let’s head out tomorrow.”

    ‘I’ll be ready.”  Scourge shut down the holo image and then came to stand at her side.  “A few months ago, you would have gotten all flushed and upset with me after a conversation like that.  I wonder if I am losing the ability to surprise you.”

    Tali started walking and Scourge followed alongside her.  “Maybe I _am_ upset.”

    “No, I would know.  For a Jedi, you broadcast your thoughts awfully loud.”

    That was sometimes a weakness of hers.  Now she was blushing for real.

    “You are unusually good at ferreting them out.”

    “That is true as well.”

    “Humility isn’t one of your strong points, is it?”

    “Sith speak the truth as it is, not as others might wish it to be.”

    Together they walked back to the transport taxi and then headed to the spaceport, where Tali’s ship rested in the hangar.  Once inside, Tali realized just how tired she was.  She hoped that tonight she would not be plagued by any of the unusual dreams she’d been having of late.  The most recent one had featured Scourge in a most...bizarre way.  Tali pushed it quickly from her mind.

    When she got to the door to her bedroom, Scourge walked by, looking down as he passed her.

    “Sweet dreams, Jedi.”  There was a twinkle in his eye.

    _Damn it._

 00o00

    The next morning they stood at the entrance to the cave.  It had not been easy to find.  The opening was long overgrown with vines and thick layers of brush, although once they found it, inside there was a path roughly laid with stone markers.  As Tali suspected, the markers led them to the cavern where the crystal was held.

    Upon first sight, the crystal looked anything but impressive, and Tali feared the worst.  It was sitting lopsided in its cradle, looking as if a mere jostle would set it toppling from its pedestal.  Dust clouded its facets, obscuring any reflective surface it should have had.  It looked dull and lifeless as a common stone, and Tali felt her heart sink.

    Scourge went to it, drawn like it called to him with a voice only he could hear.  The crystal stood a full head higher than Scourge was tall, and he circled it as if sizing up an opponent, stopping at last before it, apparently satisfied.  He stepped up to the pedestal and reached for the stone, righting it again in its holder and smoothing the dust from its surface.  The way he caressed the stone with care, even reverence, reminded Tali of how much the results of this ritual meant to him.  When he at last stepped away, the stone appeared translucent once more.

    Scourge began stripping off his armor, leaving a neat pile by one of the cave walls.  When he turned back towards the crystal, Tali could see the v-shaped bony ridges down his chest, revealed through the opening in his shirt.  Curiosity made her gaze linger, but she forced herself to look away.

    Nearby was a worn spot on the floor, and Scourge knelt there, adopting a posture of meditation.  For a moment, he looked like a Jedi with his head bowed and his hands folded in his lap.  Perhaps this was the closest he would ever become to being a Jedi, caught as he was in a state of perfect detachment.  Is this truly what the Jedi strived for?  To become emotionless drones like Lord Scourge, unable to experience the richness of the world around them?  Tali was struck then by how incomprehensible the Jedi must appear to Scourge, and probably all Sith.  She shook the thought from her mind.

    She knelt in front of the stone at the point opposite Scourge.

    “Are you ready?”

    Scourge raised his head and nodded to her.  “Proceed.  Do not stop, Jedi, no matter what happens.  I cannot die, so if you fail, this ritual cannot truly harm me.  And if you succeed...it will be worth it.”

    “All right.”  Tali closed her eyes and reached out to the Force, feeling it alive around her like a brilliant, warm light.  Did Scourge experience the Force like a glow of light, or for him was it different?  The Force infused her limbs and made her feel weightless.  She gathered it close and imagined honing it into a ball of concentrated power, and then when she felt she could encage no more within her grasp, she directed it outward towards the crystal.

    The crystal tugged on her, awakening like a living thing, and Tali was vaguely aware that it was beginning to glow, casting a diffuse, pale light throughout the cavern.  She clenched her eyes tighter and dug deeper within herself, seeking harmony and balance, reaching for that feeling that let her know that she was truly open; a perfect conduit for the Force.  The crystal drew on her gathered power, pulling it from her and amplifying it, until Tali felt it growing around her.  She was rooted to the earth, held fast it its power, while tendrils of energy coiled outward from her, spiraling around the crystal and within it.  The crystal erupted then like a rapidly blooming flower, throwing rays of energy outward.

    She felt Scourge’s presence as he grasped for one of the offshoots of power, pulling it towards himself in a vice-like grip.  Pure Force energy jumped from the crystal to Scourge’s kneeling form, hitting him hard with an invisible bolt of power.  Likewise, the link consumed Tali as well, capturing her its sphere, tethering her to the crystal and to Scourge in turn.  Startled, Tali pulled back instinctively, but discovered that she was caught fast in the crystal’s pull, unable to withdraw now even if she wanted to.

    She lost track of time and lost the sense of her own physical presence.  She melded with the Force and there in the midst of its thrall, she felt Scourge with her, his own dark power colliding with hers.  She had expected the feel of the dark side to be lifeless and cold, but Scourge was a burst of searing heat, cleansing in its intensity.  If Tali had any protective energy left to wrap herself in, it was culled away now, leaving her naked and vulnerable.  It was terrifying.  It was ecstasy.

Tali wasn’t sure how long she remained in this state of helpless suspension.  Seconds?  A lifetime?  It was all the same.   _There is only the Force._  Tali was distantly aware that Scourge was caught in the midst of a terrible struggle nearby, the crystal pulling him into itself while the Emperor’s power, intense and ancient, held him fast.  Scourge’s presence was like a flame, scorching and bright, while the Emperor was a devouring void.  How could Scourge have survived being linked to such a horrifying entity for so long?  How had the Emperor not twisted him beyond all recognition?  Maybe the detachment that had been imposed upon him was, in its own way, a form of preservation.  Anxiety gripped Tali then.  She had always assumed that breaking the Emperor’s hold would simultaneously restore Scourge’s ability to feel, for the two conditions were surely linked, but what if their ritual achieved one and not the other?  If Scourge remained tethered to the Emperor, yet open to feeling the crushing weight of his presence, what would happen? She thought of Servant Eight and her madness and torment.  What if this ritual scarred Scourge’s mind, turning him into a blithering idiot or, worse yet, a monster?

_What if I have to kill him_? Tali thought.  She steeled herself inside. _The Force will guide my hand, whatever may happen._

Tali surrendered herself, and there, in the midst of that storm of Force power, she felt Scourge doing the same, felt him cast adrift alongside her, just as lost as she.

Then the crystal went dark and Tali was cut loose.  For a moment she felt cold and small, filled with a terrible sense of loss.  She reached out, wanting more, wanting to be one with that power again, wanting to be one with the Force, but the crystal had gone silent.  She realized she was shaking on the ground, shivering as if cold.  She opened her eyes.

The room looked darker than she had remembered it, and the crystal looked dull.  Tali pulled herself to her feet and made her way to Scourge’s side.  What had they wrought with this ritual?

Scourge was stretched out on the ground, kneeling with his hands and forehead against the cold stone.  He was alive at least, for his sides were heaving and his shirt was drenched in sweat.  Tali crept closer.

His head rose, but he looked blindly past her, his eyes wide and the expression on his face filled with awe.  In that moment, Scourge looked more human than Tali had ever seen him, his face displaying an openness that was almost childlike.   _It worked,_ Tali thought.   _Surely this means it worked._

Scourge jerked to his feet and spun in a clumsy circle, his gaze roving the walls and ceiling of the cave.  He stumbled and nearly collided with her, looking startled as if noticing her for the first time.  He reached out and cupped her face, stepping closer, his eyes roving rapidly over across her features.  His thumb drew a line down her cheek.

“I never knew…” His voice was hoarse, and Tali wondered just how long they had remained together locked within the power of the crystal.  “...the color of your skin, your eyes.”  He took a single ragged breath and pulled away, turning towards the cave entrance.  “I need to be in the sunlight.”

He ran on shaking legs across the cave and down the tunnel that led outside.  Tali stood a moment in silence, and then raced after him.

She found him outside, collapsed on his knees in the grass.  He had his face turned towards the sun and his eyes closed, a look of pure, unabashed pleasure written on his face.  There were tears wetting his cheeks.

“Oh by the Force,” he murmured.  “It is too much, too strong.”  He clutched at his chest and a laugh erupted from him, deep and rich.  “It is perfect.”

Suddenly his eyes flew open and he vaulted to his feet, spinning in place, stopping when his eyes locked on Tali.  He went to her.

“Touch me.”

Tali stared at him in surprise, and when she hesitated too long he snatched up her hand and brought it to his face, holding her palm against his cheek.  His skin was smooth and warm against her fingers, and he nuzzled her palm, eyes closed, a sigh escaping him.

“So good,” he whispered.  He drew her hand down and slid it inside the neck of his shirt, pressing her hand to the wide plane of his chest.  Tali could feel the gentle thrum of his heart beneath her fingertips, and when she looked up at him, his red eyes were infused with an inner light that actually made them appear to glow.  When he at last let go, she drew her hand away reluctantly, feeling slightly abashed at how much she had wanted the moment to endure.

Scourge’s hand flew next to his scabbard, and in a moment, a short dagger was in his hand.  Before Tali could intervene, he drew the blade across his forearm, hissing as a line blood welled up from the cut.

“Ah.  I almost forgot what pain felt like.”  He curled his hand into a fist.  When he opened his hand a dark swirl of Force energy roiled in his palm, revolving like a ball of coiled shadow.  He clenched his fists again, both of them this time, and the dark power dissipated.   Then he threw back his head and released a throaty, bellowing laugh.   It roared through the valley walls around them, echoing many times over, fierce and primal and exuberant.

Tali backed away, moved by Scourge’s unexpected emotional display, but also cautious.  Master Satele was correct that restoring Scourge’s capacity to feel again would renew his power as a Sith.  His obvious revelry was proof of that.   _Please don’t let me regret this._

Scourge’s laugh was dissolving into sobs, and he fell to his knees again, burying his head in his hands.  Tali crept away.


	6. Chapter 6

Scourge didn’t return to the ship for the rest of that day, or that evening either.  As much as it pained her to consider it, Tali wondered if he had abandoned them for good.  What was he doing?  What if he never came back?  She gave the rest of the crew noncommittal answers when they asked where Scourge was, trying not reveal her concern.  She went to bed feeling unsettled and disappointed.

Tali awoke in the middle of the night from a startlingly sexual dream.  Even in the privacy of her bedroom she felt a flare of embarrassment as she recalled what the dream had entailed -- and who it had been with.   _Just my brain letting off some steam_ , she thought.   _It doesn’t signify anything._  She sighed aloud.   _Except maybe that you are becoming obsessed with Scourge._  This was bad.

In her mind’s eye, she saw Scourge again the way he had been yesterday, kneeling in the dirt, face turned to the sky, eyes closed.  The ecstasy on his face was so raw, so personal, that Tali had felt like she was intruding on a private moment.

She tossed in bed.  Was there a chance that he had come back during the night?  Finally she gave up wondering and went to check.  The door to the storage room where he slept was closed.  Tali felt a thrill pass through her.  The door was always left open unless Scourge was inside.  She lighted touched the door and reached out through the Force.  He was there.

She hurried away.

    The ship’s galley was dark and quiet as she made her way in and began to heat up some sweetened nerf milk.  She cupped the mug in her hands and released a pent up breath.  She wondered what the Jedi Council would say if they knew what she had done.  Was it safe to have Scourge aboard her ship now?  She would reserve judgment until she had a chance to see how Scourge was faring.

    From behind her there was a faint rustle.  Tali turned.  Scourge was there, wearing nothing but a simple pair of drawstring pants.   _Don’t stare, Tali._  In armor, Scourge was a mountain of brawn, and Tali could only imagine the terror his opponents felt in their last moments when they saw him hurtling toward them, his arm raised for the kill, his lightsaber casting a luminescent blur through the air.  Some men were lessened without the benefit of armor to bulk them up, but Tali thought Scourge was even more impressive without it.  He was strongly built and hale, with a wide chest, corded shoulders, and muscular arms that looked nearly the size of Tali’s thighs.  Her eyes travelled downward, taking in his tight stomach and the low sling of his pants around his hips.

    _By the Force, someone help me. I’m massively attracted to a Sith.  This can’t be good._

    “Can’t sleep either?”  Tali tried to sound casual, but her heart was already racing.   _It was just a dream._

    “No.”  Scourge came further into the room and gestured at the mug in her hands.  “What are you drinking?”

He’d never shown curiosity over such things before, but Tali imagined that he might now take interest in a great many things since the ritual.

    “Just some warm milk.”

    He held out his hand.  “I would like to try some.”

    Tali shrugged and handed him the mug. He brought it to his lips and took a slow drink, then paused, considering the taste.

    “Hmm.”  He handed her the mug.  

    His eyes met hers and stayed there, making Tali acutely aware of the silence throughout the ship, his lack of dress, and their being alone in the galley so late at night.

    “I want you to know,” he began, but then he paused as if the words only found their way out with much effort.  “I want you to know that I am...grateful, for what you did.”

“You’re welcome.”  Tali recalled the way he had touched her face with such wonder in the cave and looked away, busying herself with another sip from the cup.

    “However,” he added, more boldly now, “you should have asked for something in return.  You knew I would have given much to be rid of the Emperor’s curse.”

    “That was not necessary.  I wanted to do it.”

    “As usual, you Jedi do not see opportunity when it is plainly offered to you.”

“I don’t need repayment.”

    “But there _is_ something you want.”

    Tali didn’t like the scrutinizing stare she was under.  She opened her mouth to deny Scourge’s claim, but then closed it again.  She tried to come back with some sarcastic retort instead, but could find none.

    “Your emotions are strong tonight, Jedi.”  A smile crossed Scourge’s face, satisfaction thick in his voice.

    Tali set the mug on the counter next to the sink, dropping it more roughly than she intended.  Did he know the contents of her recent dream?  Tali’s mouth felt dry and her legs a bit shaky.   _I’m exhausted, that’s all it is._

    She made to leave the kitchen, but had to crush by Scourge to do so.  He stepped aside, just barely.

    “Tali.”  He rarely called her by her first name, and the sound of his voice purring over those syllables gave her a shiver.  She paused, all too consciously aware that the doorway they were standing in brought them into close proximity.

    “You gave me this gift,” Scourge said.  “I am capable now, and willing.  If you are too shy to ask, then I am offering.  Take me to your bed.”

    What did one say to something like that?  Tali’s heartbeat was unbearably loud in her ears and her thoughts felt scattered and uncertain.  Having fantasies about Scourge was alarming enough, but to have them made real was far more than she could handle.  Then there was the problem of Scourge presenting his offer as a trading of favors.  Should she be insulted?

Tali took a step back and looked him in the eye.  “That’s not why I did this.”  She paused, feeling a hint of irritation coming on to replace her embarrassment.  “And I don’t like the idea that you are doing this as a way to _repay_ me.”

    A low noise came from Scourge’s throat that Tali thought might have been a chuckle.  “You misunderstand.  I wouldn’t come to you like this if it weren’t something that I wanted as well.”

    “I don’t know if this is what I want.”  Tali stared ahead but Scourge was there, his bare torso directly in her line of vision.  His rich, red skin looked smooth and taut and Tali had to struggle to resist the desire to reach out and touch him.

    “Do you need convincing?”

    He moved forward, close enough that Tali could feel the heat from his chest, and his hand slid behind her neck. Tali looked up and held her breath, expecting him to kiss her, but instead he placed his lips against her forehead.  A second hand cupped her cheek and Tali’s eyes slid closed as he cradled her face in his hands, his nose and lips whispering over her skin, down her cheek, around her jaw, heading south for her collarbone.  His breath was a caress, leaving behind a trail of bumps where it passed, stirring up the longings from her recent dream. Tali had not been expecting this gentle exploration.  It left her more confused than ever.

    “Why do you fight your desire?”  His voice was a vibration against her cheek.  Tali felt him withdraw and opened her eyes.   He was looking into her face.  “There is a disconnect between your body and your mind.  The Jedi have done you a disservice by teaching you this.  You must unlearn it.”  

    “This is…” Tali struggled to find her breath, “too sudden.  I’m not ready.”

    There was a light in Scourge’s eyes that Tali had never seen before.  Mischievous, maybe even predatory.  “Getting you ready for me will not be a problem.”

    Tali backed away.  “That’s...not what I meant!”  A whispering in the back of her mind was urging her to give in and she shoved it aside with effort.

    “You are saying that you need something else then, a deeper connection between us?  I thought the Jedi were against creating such attachments.”  His voice grew quiet and he leaned close again.  “We are tied together by three hundred years of destiny.  Is that not enough?”

    “Just because I’m attracted to you does not mean that I need to act on it.  My mind is in control of my desires, not my body.”

    “Be careful, Jedi,” Scourge said.  “Too much self-deprivation and you will only become obsessed over what you have denied yourself.  Nothing inspires anger more than thwarted longing.”

Tali resisted looking him in the eye, unwilling to meet that stare that always felt too probing.  “I’m a Jedi and you are a Sith.  We have opposing values.  We will never agree on this.”

Scourge breathed out slowly and stepped back.  His voice when it came next was reprimanding and tinted with anger.

    “I understand why your Council tries to control you.  What I will never comprehend is why you _let_ them.”

    He walked away and a few moments later Tali heard the sound of the storage room latching.  Her heart felt heavy and conflicted as she wandered back to bed.  She’d had her share of men come on to her; in fact Doc, her own ship’s medic, was constantly engaging in a good-natured flirtation, but she’d never felt so uncertain, so unbalanced, as she did with Scourge.

    Tali had never pretended to be the perfect rule-abiding Jedi.  She did believe wholeheartedly in seeing the Order’s goals of galactic peace realized, and no Jedi was more dedicated to leading the charge than she.  Joining the Order had been one of her proudest moments.  She’d lived on the streets with her older brother for years when a kind-hearted Twi’lek spacer had taken them both in.  While her brother hadn’t adjusted well to his new life, Tali had thrived.  Captain Visia was a vigilante, smuggling slaves to freedom throughout the galaxy, and Tali enjoyed feeling like she too could be a part of someone’s heroic story.  So when her Force sensitivity was discovered, she went willingly into the Order, eager to become a protector of the weak and a defender of the helpless and all those wonderful things that Jedi were said to be.  With the Jedi, she could be a hero _for real_.

    But they’d had so many _rules_ , some of which simply weren’t practical.  Tali asked too many questions, found loopholes, and stretched the limits of what she was allowed so many times that at one point she had feared she would get thrown out.  Her sincerity and drive is what saved her perhaps, or maybe it was the fact that she was easily one of the best lightsaber duelists of her generation, and the Order didn’t want to throw away that kind of talent when there was a war going on.  In the end, Tali believed that a genuine dedication to the light was really the only rule any Jedi needed.

    Which brought her thoughts back to Lord Scourge.

    There were Jedi, paragons within the Order, who practiced complete chastity.  Tali was not one of them.

Early on, Tali had interpreted the Jedi Order’s admonishments against relational attachments very literally.   She had allowed herself to get physically involved with someone, a handsome, charismatic Nautolan, believing that as long as no commitment was declared between them, she was obeying the rule’s intent.  Indeed, Tali soon discovered that among certain Jedi it was not an uncommon practice, although it was officially frowned upon.

    After that one experience, she had not done so again.  She had simply been too occupied with the greater mission at hand, which made personal pleasures felt like an impossible indulgence.

    She’d done such a thing in the past, so why not now?

_Because we’re working together as long-term partners_ , she thought. _That’s different._

Was she afraid of becoming attached to Scourge?  She chewed this thought over for a long time.  She had had no qualms or guilt about establishing a tight friendship with Kira.  She had no fears that either of them was compromised in their mission, in spite of the fact that she fully expected to work alongside Kira for a long time.  What was the difference, then?

Her friendship with Kira was steady and strong.  It anchored her.  But Scourge...She’d never felt so dizzy with longing, so breathless and nervous as she did with him around.  The combination of lust and a true, genuine attachment, if such a thing were possible with a Sith, would be dangerous and unknown.  It was frightening.  Her heart did not feel safe around Scourge.

Clandestine relationships were not unheard of among Jedi, and Tali was aware that even marriages were occasionally sanctioned by the Council under certain circumstances.  She couldn’t imagine any circumstance, however, where a Jedi could justify becoming involved with a Sith.  Tali always thought that she knew better than to get herself tangled up in the romantic drama that so often plagued non-Force sensitives.  She wasn’t used to feeling so taken off guard.  Her attraction to Scourge felt reckless and forbidden.

_I was right to refuse him,_ she thought.   _I must stay strong._


	7. Chapter 7

    Scourge sat in the Silent Sun cantina on Coruscant, watching the spinning lights from the nearby dance floor as they reflected off the polished surface of the bar.  A Jedi named Master Gend had asked for Tali’s assistance in a delicate matter, and so she had gone alone to meet with him at the Senate tower.  The rest of the crew had scattered at the spaceport, each going their separate ways for a bit of down time.  Scourge had wandered the city at first, taking in the lights and sounds.  How much more vibrant the world was than he remembered it.  At last he had settled here, intending to spend the rest of the evening in solitude, surrounded by a meaningless crowd.

A stray light danced across his hand, painting his skin in shades of purple and orange.  Had he ever had a favorite color?  He couldn’t recall now.  Red was the color of blood and passion and the fiery Korriban sand, and it seemed an apt skin color for the people of his race.  But blue was a cloudless sky, like the one he had first seen upon leaving the cave on Tython, and that was a memory that he would not soon forget.  Blue was openness and freedom and the cool breeze against his face and chin.  Green, he thought, now green was a tricky color.  Green was red’s opposite, and a color he had most often associated with the Jedi.  Yet green had an allure of its own, like in the way it could look so fresh and alive against the darker red of his hand, and the way it darkened so slightly into a deeper shade just under the curve of Tali’s jawline…

    Scourge set down his drink and slid it away from him.  Maybe he needed to find a different place to sit.  There was a dancer across the room, just in his line of vision, a curvy green-skinned Twi’lek, and she was distracting him.  Before the ritual, he had gotten used to being immune to these kinds of temptations.  Some of his victims had tried to win his mercy by offering him sexual favors, but of course it had always been a futile effort.  He had forgotten just how powerful such desires were.

His eyes followed the dancer as she pranced across the tiny raised stage, her lekku alternately swinging out and then wrapping around her as she spun.  She halted and one head-tail slid slowly off her shoulders, swaying ever so slightly at it settled against her bare back.  Scourge was reminded of catching glimpses of Tali beside him mid-fight, her lightsaber poised over head as she wheeled around to block an attacker.  She was grace and speed and power.  It was criminal that such potential in the Force was shackled so by the Jedi Order’s restrictions.  The depth of her emotion could be an endless source of power for her, amplifying her skill to greater heights than either of them had yet seen.  He had felt but a taste of it last night in her desire.   How he longed to feed off her passion and feel it magnify his own…

With a little guidance, Tali could have been a fine Sith.  In combat, she was focused and sure, and her skill with a blade was exceptional.  Outside of combat, however, she struggled to find the peace and mindfulness the Jedi had tried to teach her.  She thought too much, Scourge suspected, denying her instincts and trying to impose logic where emotion would serve her better.  Scourge understood something many Sith did not.  Harnessing emotion did not mean giving up control.  On the contrary, it required a great deal of control.  Anything less was like trying to ride a writhing zeldrate without reins.  The Force needed to be commanded and made to do a Sith’s bidding, not the other way around.  This is where the Jedi teachings had failed Tali.

She frustrated him more often than not, but in the end she had understood and accepted the necessity of his help in defeating the Emperor, something that many Jedi would never have tolerated.  “I follow you for what you do, not what you say,” he had told her once, and that was still true.  He could handle listening to her spout self-righteous Jedi platitudes.  But facing down her rejection had bruised him.  She was letting her Jedi Code stand in the way of having what he _knew_ she desired.  How could she have refused him?  It was absurd.

Being forced to satisfy himself was simply not enough to keep him sated.  He stared openly now at the dancer, but she did not catch his eye.  He rose from the bar stool and made his way closer.  He leaned against a wall and waited for her routine to end.

Still she did not notice him.  He reached out with a tendril of Force power and lightly tapped the edge of her mind.

_Come here._

She stepped off the stage and made to walk away in the opposite direction, but then paused and rested her fingertips against her forehead.  For a moment she looked confused. Then she turned around and met his eye.

He nodded to her.  She sauntered over and stopped before him, peering into his hood.

“You look lonely.”  She rested a hand on one hip and gave him a playful smile.

Her eyes were a pale shade of lavender, but Scourge found himself disappointed that they were not blue instead.  Her face was rounder too, her cheeks fuller and her eyes wider.  She was attractive enough, he thought.  But she was not Tali.

“I’m not lonely anymore.”  He dropped back his hood and paused for her to get a look at him.  He felt her register surprise, but that was quickly replaced by curiosity.  Good.  If he had sensed disgust or alarm coming from her, this would never work.  He had spent so many years drawing from the feelings of others that it was sometimes hard to not pick up on people’s states, even unintentionally.   It was pleasure and release that he sought tonight, and he wanted nothing else to interfere.

She smiled, confident and inviting.  “Are you interested in finding a quieter place to hang out?”

“I am,” he said, making a conscious effort to sound polite.

“It’s five hundred for an hour of my time.”

Scourge had no idea what the going rate was for such a transaction, but money was not an issue.  He pulled out a credit stick with double that amount on it and handed it to her.

“Two hours?”  She eyed him with a coy smile.  “You must have a lot of stamina.”

He ignored her flirtatious innuendo.  “I don’t like restrictions,” he answered.  “Keep the extra if I don’t end up using it.”

She took him by the hand -- when was the last time anyone had actually held his hand? -- and tugged him along towards a lift in the room’s far corner.  The door slid open and he followed her inside.  The loud music and chatter became muffled as the door swished shut, and Scourge turned to face her, sliding his hands around her hips.  She was wearing some kind of perfume that reminded him of fields in summer.  He leaned forward to breathe it in.  Tali smelled pleasant too, he recalled, better in fact, and whatever she wore was more subtle and herbal than this.  He bowed his head to touch his lips to the dancer’s bare shoulder and slid a hand up her back.

“Aren’t you the eager one.”  She laughed, sounding amused but not displeased.  “I’m used to you Jedi being more shy.”

Scourge straightened and let out a chuckle.  He lifted her chin and pulled her into a kiss.  

“I’m no Jedi,” he said against her lips.

She laughed again and wound her arms around his neck.  “Not tonight, you aren’t.”

What did she think he had meant?  Did she not believe him?  A flicker of anger at her ignorance sparked inside him but he snuffed it out with effort.

“What is your name?” he asked.  He didn’t care really, but it occurred to him that he should know.

“Yora.”  Her eyes flicked to the lightsaber on his belt.  “And should I call you ‘my lord?’”

“That would be preferable.”

“Yes, my lord,” she said, and she gave him a naughty smile.

This was all a game to her, Scourge realized.  He bristled at the insult.  His hand slid from her chin to her throat, which he discovered he could easily encircle in one of his hands.

“Don’t mock me.”  He drew close, looking into her eyes.  Her pupils turned wide and dark.  He could feel the strain of her swallow against his hand.

“You live here in the Republic’s great capitol, thinking yourself safe, thinking you will never live to see a real Sith.”  He made a noise of disgust.  “Have you so soon forgotten the sacking of Coruscant?  The destruction of the Jedi Temple?  Even as I stand here, you still deny the truth of what you see with your own eyes.”

She was confused, and feeling the first prickles of fear now.  Scourge could hear her breath quickening and feel the delicate flutter of her heartbeat as it pulsed against her skin.  It filled him with a restless energy, like the wind-up of anticipation that he felt before a battle.  He let go of Yora and pushed himself away from her.

He had spent too many years among soldiers and Sith, poised constantly on edge, doling out death and punishment to the Emperor’s enemies.  He couldn’t relate to civilians and their petty little lives any longer. And he was going about this all wrong.

Tali would have understood.

Frightening Yora would only stall things before they had even gotten started, or worse yet, trigger a blood lust in him, which could have unfortunate consequences.  A whole encampment of dead of Flesh Raiders back on Tython could have attested to that.

The elevator door opened and Yora tossed him a glance as she stepped out.  She was no longer smiling.  Scourge followed her down the hall.   The memory of those Flesh Raiders on Tython weaseled its way into his mind as he walked.  He had never intended to slaughter them all like that, but a small party had dared to attack him, and he had chased the lone survivor back to their base.  Their fear and outrage, as primal as it was, only incited him further, and soon he was revelling in the renewed feeling of power rushing through his limbs, cutting them down like a scythe through grain.  Looking back now, he felt strangely uneasy about the whole episode.  Letting passion fuel his power was the Sith way, yet he had acted without thought or intention and that too was unlike him.  His will had not felt like his own and that bothered him.

Yora reached one of the hallway’s many doors and pressed her finger against a doorpad.  Scourge stepped inside after her.  The room was compact but neat, with a round bed in the center, tossed with sleek pillows.  Yora watched him cautiously from the center of the room.

He removed his lightsaber from his belt and carefully set it down on a nightstand.

“I have not been in the company of a woman like this in a very long time,” he said.

“I understand.”

Scourge doubted that she really did, but that didn’t matter.  He needed to find a way to set her at ease again.  “I am here for honest reasons.  The same as any other man.”

She still stood a distance away.

“You will need to come closer if we expect to accomplish anything tonight.”

She smiled at that, shy but genuine.  Then she seemed to gather her courage.  She looked him in the eye and came forward.

“I will take care of you…” she knelt at his feet, pausing only slightly, “...my lord.”  There was no falsity in her voice now.

Scourge stroked the top of her head.  “Good. Now you understand.”

00o00

    After meeting with Master Gend at the Senate Tower, Tali decided to check in on her old neighborhood.  She found Shom Durq in his usual spot in the medical section of Coruscant’s old market district.  She strode up to his stall and watched as the Neimoidian blinked rapidly at her, his chest bowing in and out, before he eventually recognized her.

    “Tali girl!”  He laid a hand against his chest and released a breath.  “Look at you, now!  I almost didn’t even know you.  This big fancy Jedi, huh?”

    “Hey Shom.  It’s been a long time, I know.  Things have been busy.”

    “Of course, of course.” He bowed forward, patting the air with his hand as if he could still pet her on top of the head like he used to when she was small.  “Important Jedi business.”  He waved her over.  “Come see my latest elixir.”

    He ducked down behind the stall and pulled out a small vial filled with some pink liquid.  “New formula!  Energy, stamina, and increases concentration.  Of course you don’t need that, do you?  But, here, try it anyway.  I’m working on the flavor.”

    He leaned over the stall and held out the vial, jiggling it in the air.  “Go on now!”

    Tali took the vial, gave it a sniff and then a quick swig.  “Hmmm,” she said.  “Sweet.”

    “You like it?  Feel strong?  Sharp?  Invigorated?  May take a few minutes to kick in.”

    “Yeah, it’s nice.”  Tali handed it back to him.

    “Good!  Even the Jedi drink it, right?  You drank it, I can say that now.  Good for business.”

“How are things, Shom?  Business been good?”

    He nodded emphatically.  “Everyone wants the love potions.  Always a best seller.  Getting harder to get some ingredients now though. Have to trade on the black market and sometimes that doesn’t work out so well.”

    “Be careful, you hear me, Shom?”

    “Don’t worry about me, Tali girl.”

    “How much was that pink stuff you let me try?  I’ll take a vial of that.”

    “Good stuff, right?  For you, Tali, I charge only one-fifty.”

    Tali fished out a credit stick with two hundred on it and gave it Shom.  “Take the extra Shom.  Your goods are worth it.”

    He beamed, then wrapped the little vial up in some paper and handed it to her.

    “So, have you heard from my brother lately?” Tali asked.

    “He was here a few weeks ago, asking for you.  He left you a message. I told him I’d save it for you and save it I did, huh?  Man of my word.”  He began rummaging around in a trunk behind him, finally producing a holorecorder.  Tali took and it and excused herself for some privacy.

    She flicked the playback switch and an image of Tal’ivor appeared, looking a bit more bulked up than she remembered him.  He was wearing a roughshod armored vest and had two tricked out looking blasters on his hips.  Even through the tiny holo image she could still see the three ragged scar lines which crossed his left cheek, a memento from his short time in the gladiatorial pits on Hutta.

    “Tali.”  His voice was rough and deep, and he barked out her name like it was a command.  “Make sure you’re in a quiet place before viewing this.”

    Tali glanced around but the street corner was empty of passersby and Shom was busy unloading a crate of vials behind his stall.  She hit “play” again and the recording continued.

    “The Dark Council has put out a big contract.  It’s all quiet of course, and not being advertised on the usual channels.  But I got wind of it.  Something about a big-time Sith lord who defected.  They say he’s unkillable.  Contract pays over two million, Tali.  Two mil.  Think about that.  I know you know something about this.  I’ll be the one to bring him to the Council - I know you can’t be doing that part - and I’ll give you a forty percent cut.  Call me and we’ll talk about it.  Don’t wait on this Tali.  It’s big.”

    The comm went dark.  Tali stared at the wall in front of her.  She had no doubt who this bounty contract was for.  Of course the Dark Council would eventually find out that Scourge was working with the Jedi and would want their little embarrassment eliminated.  At least now, she had a heads up about it.  She pulled out her own comm unit and called Tal’ivor back on the frequency he’d left for her.

    His image faded in over the holocomm.

    “I was hoping I’d hear from you,” he said quietly.  “Hang on a minute.”  The comm light glowed empty for a moment and then Tal’ivor returned.  “You get my message?”

    “I got it,” Tali replied.  “Listen Ivor, I’m not doing this and neither are you.  Anyone goes after Lord Scourge, they’ll have to go through me first.”

    “Tali, why do you care what happens to this Sith?  Think about how many creds we’re talking here.  You could take out a big name _and_ get paid for it.”

    “I don’t need the money.  The Order takes care of me.  And Scourge is working for the Republic now.  He’s going to help us win this war.”

    “So now it’s not just the Jedi who’ve got you, but their Republic cronies, too, huh?  Since when did the Republic ever give a rat’s ass about us?  Where were they when Ma got sick?  When those Black Sun thugs took out Pop?  Let the two sides duke it out and murder each other and good riddance.”

“I’ve chosen my side, Ivor.  I know where I belong.”

“Maybe you can’t use the money, but I sure can.  Could set me up for a long time.”

    Tali was getting frustrated now.  “You think the Dark Council is going to give you two million credits for bringing in Scourge?  They want Scourge to disappear and everyone who knows about him will too.  Step one foot in that council chamber and you’ll never come back out.  You may be good, but even you can’t take on the whole Dark Council.  Besides,” Tali added, “he’s unkillable remember?”

“No one’s unkillable,” Ivor said quietly.

    Was Scourge still immortal?  Tali hoped that the ritual had changed that, but it would be best if his reputation stayed intact.  “He’s not a normal Sith, Ivor.  I suspect the Dark Council knows this, which also makes me suspicious.”

Ivor was silent.  “Knew it was too good to be true, I guess,” he said at last.  “All right.  I’ll stay out of it.  But the word’s out Tali, and the word is that he was last seen in the company of a female Twi’lek Jedi. They know about you.  And it may not just be bounty hunters they send after you either.”

    “I’ll be careful.  Thanks for letting me know.”

    “I’m looking out for you, Tali.  Promised I would.”

    “How about you, Ivor?  You doing all right?”

    “Yeah.  I’m alive, ain’t I?  I’m pulling in some good jobs.  People will pay anything to settle a grudge.”

    “Where are you?”

    Ivor looked off into the distance and then back at Tali again.  “On my ship.”

    “That doesn’t tell me anything!”

    “Hey, you got my comm channel now.  Gotta go anyway.”

    “Be careful, Ivor, ok?  I care about you, even if you are a big, ugly lug.”

    “Yeah, smoochie smoochie.  Whatever.  Get out of here.”  He waved his hand and the comm went dead, but not before Tali had the chance to catch the flash of a smile.

    She went back to Shom’s stall and he looked up as she approached.

    “So, how’s that brother of yours?  Still getting himself into trouble?”

    “He’s trying to.”

    “I miss him.  He roughed up some goons last time he was here.  They haven’t messed with me since.”

“Good.  Don’t hesitate to call me though if you ever get in over your head, ok?”   

“I will, I will.  You come back soon, Tali, huh?”

    “I’ll try.”

    Tali wandered away, tucking the little vial in her pocket as she went.  She thought back to her conversation with Ivor.  She was making a name for herself now, so it shouldn’t be any surprise that there would be eyes on her and who she was travelling with.  She should warn Scourge that there was a bounty on his head, although she doubted he’d be surprised.  It did mean that they would need to be more vigilant, however.  That meant not drawing attention to themselves.  Tali sighed.  She tried to imagine a hulking, bony-ridged, red skinned Sith lord blending in and couldn’t.


	8. Chapter 8

    Tali sat in the booth across from Kira, watching her Padawan pick through a bowl of ronto crisps.  They had found a corner of the Dealer’s Den cantina that was quiet enough that they didn’t need to shout, which was a good thing, Tali thought, since she had some serious business to discuss.  That is, until Kira derailed her plans.

    “So,” Kira began, a slow smile creeping across her face, “let’s talk about Scourge.”

    Kira had a way of sniffing out secrets before you even knew you had them, so Tali tried to act casual.  “What about him?”

    “I’d say the power crystal was a success.”

    “It was.  But what makes you say that?”  Tali had told Kira about her plans that day on Tython, but they had not had a chance to talk since the completion of the ritual.  After last night’s strange events, she had a sinking feeling now, wondering what other oddities Scourge might have exhibited to the rest of the crew.

    “Well,” Kira waved a crisp in the air.  “Doc was all in a twitter this morning.  He thinks Scourge touched one of his energy puddings.  Apparently, he caught Scourge digging through the galley, eating everything in there.”

    “He really ate one of Doc’s energy puddings?  Those things barely count as food.”

    “And this morning I caught Scourge in the refresher -- hey don’t look at me like that, he had the door wide open -- and he was sniffing _everything_.  The soap, my shampoo, your scalp cream, just one after another.”

    Tali made a noncommittal noise and waited to see if Kira had more coming.

    “Seems like Scourge has a got a lot of catching up to do on life, now that he’s got his five senses back,” Kira said.

    Tali rubbed absently at a discolored spot on the table.  “I’ve noticed some things too.”  She looked up at Kira.  “How can you eat those things?  They’re basically just fried fat.”

Kira shrugged, then leaned forward.  “You’re stalling.  What happened?”

    “Well, Scourge propositioned me last night.”

    Kira sat back against the bench.  “Whoa, wait a minute.  Are we talking about the same Scourge?  You know, big, mean Sith Lord, red beady eyes, look on his face like this?”  Kira put on her most virulent scowl and folded her arms across her chest, stretching her spine as tall as she was able.

    “That’s a pretty good impression.”

    “Isn’t it?  So what did you say to him?”

    “I said ‘no’ of course!  It really took me off guard.  More than it should have, I mean.”

    “Well, yeah.  I’m having a hard time imagining it myself.”  Kira chuckled.

    “Well, thing is, I almost said yes.”  Tali hesitated, feeling her face heating up after that admission.  “Remember how I told you how I dated Jorl back at the Academy?”

    Kira was looking at her blankly.

    “The Nautolan?”

    “Oh, ok, I remember.”  Kira’s tone turned reprimanding.  “Are you changing the subject?”

    “No.  I swear this will all make sense in just a minute.  I liked Jorl.  I mean, he was charming and all, but…” Tali paused.  “We both knew it would end when we left the Academy.  And I didn’t get all worked up about him.”

    Kira gestured for her to go on.

    “At the time, I was so proud of myself for remaining ‘unattached’ while being involved with Jorl.  I thought it was proof that I had this whole Jedi thing down.  But now?  I think I was just curious and rebellious and…”  Tali looked out into the crowd at the cantina.  “...I don’t know.”

    Kira chuckled.  “Yeah, you and half the Academy I bet, even though they’d never admit it.”

    “Things with Scourge feel different.”

    “Are you saying that Scourge makes you...” Kira fluttered her fingers in the air, “...tingly and stuff?”

“I’m saying that maybe the Jedi Code’s rule against attachments has some sense behind it.”

Kira raised an eyebrow.  “Hey, you’re not going all ‘Jedi guru’ on me, are you?”

“Kira,” Tali leaned forward, “last night I felt confused and like I couldn’t even think straight. I realize now that I was lying to myself about Jorl back then.  I was never in love with him to begin with.”

“So you’re lusting after Scourge.”  She shrugged.  “That’s all it is.  It’ll pass once the novelty wears off.”

“I have to work with him.  Closely.  We’ve got a new assignment now too.  I can’t be compromised in my ability to make sound decisions.”  Tali stared at her hands.

“You need to give yourself more credit.  You’re not the first Jedi to have been attracted to someone.  Scourge is just messing with your head, Tali.  Don’t let him.  He’s a jerk.”

Tali looked up.  “You really don’t like him, do you?”

Kira’s face turned hard.  “He would have left Doc to die that time in Kaas City if he had been in charge.  Remember the friendly little lecture he gave all of us before we boarded the shuttle to the Emperor’s hideout?  ‘You’re on your own,’ he said.  ‘Don’t screw anything up because no one’s coming to save you.’  And then Doc got himself stuck in that pocket of trouble and would be dead right now if you hadn’t gotten him out of it.”

“I did the right thing going after Doc.  But you know,” Tali paused, “there are Jedi who would have agreed with Scourge.  Isn’t that exactly what the ‘no attachment’ policy is all about?  In theory, saving Doc could have jeopardized the whole mission.  Scourge was practically reciting the Jedi Code that day, if you really think about it.”

“You’re freaking me out, Tali.”

Tali was on a roll now with her thoughts, and didn’t want to slow down.  “In some ways Scourge is like the ultimate Jedi.  Or was anyway.  Unaffected by emotion, unburdened by attachments, single-minded and focused.  Great, right?”  Tali gave a sardonic smile.  “Maybe that’s what taking the Jedi Code to it’s logical conclusion would look like.”

“It made him cold and heartless,” Kira said, looking serious.  “He wasn’t doing it out of some sense of greater good.”

“No,” Tali agreed.  “He was like that because he wasn’t capable of feeling any differently.  I don’t regret curing Scourge.”  Tali was thoughtful a moment.  “There just...there has to be a comfortable middle in there somewhere, between passion and indifference.  I thought I knew where that line was.  But now I’m not sure anymore.”

“Do you want to keep Scourge on the crew?”

“Sending him away would just prove that he’s gotten the better of me.  He’s still an asset.  I need to overcome this.”

Tali reached for a ronto crisp and took a bite.  She made a face and swallowed it with difficulty.  “These things are awful.”

“More for me then,” Kira said, reaching into the bowl.  “Do you think Scourge is trying to turn you?”

“I thought that was normal Sith practice.  Isn’t it a given?”

“Have you thought about trying to turn _him_ to the light?”

Tali snorted.  “You mean make a Jedi out him?  Hoth will become a beach resort before that happens.”

Kira chuckled and reached for another crisp.  “Yeah, you’re right.”

The band began to play an upbeat song, and a group of young Zabrak congregated on the dance floor, laughing and jostling each other.  Tali looked away.

No, she thought, to Scourge being a Sith was like breathing.  He couldn’t stop being one even if he wanted to.  When they had combined their power through the crystal, however, Tali had felt Scourge’s dark force mingling with hers, and it had not felt evil.  It had simply been...different.  Their powers had not clashed; they had combined.  Surely the light side would not have tolerated such a union if the two sides were true polar opposites.  What did that mean?  Did Scourge harbor some of the light in him?

Tali had long assumed that Scourge’s motivation in helping her defeat the Emperor was based on simple self-preservation.  But his dedication had an urgency to it that felt broader than mere personal interest, in fact it felt more like a spiritual conviction, or even zealotry.  Tali was beginning to suspect that something about the Emperor’s plans had horrified even Scourge.  In tying himself to the Emperor, Scourge had given up his chance to have an apprentice of his own, and any hope of rising to the Dark Council.  He had given his life to an Emperor that he already despised, all on the strength of a vision.  All because he wanted the galaxy as he knew knew it to keep on existing.  In the end, could that not be called altruism?

Kira was staring out into the cantina, her elbow propped on the table with her chin in hand.  “I sometimes wonder what my parents were like.  I don’t remember them at all.”  She looked back at Tali.  “Did they love each other?  Are Sith _capable_ of really loving someone?”

Tali shrugged.  “The Academy probably beats all feelings of love and mercy right out of them.”

Kira’s voice was flat.  “Yeah, probably.”

Kira had been born to Sith parents and had spent some of her younger years schooled at the Sith Academy.  Tali felt a flash of guilt for so flippantly judging Kira’s parents as irredeemable.  “I’m sorry Kira, I didn’t mean…”

Kira waved her away.  “I know.  Don’t worry about it.”

“It’s a good thing you got away when you did.”

They both grew quiet.  Scourge had spent three hundred years alone with the Emperor, Tali reminded herself, steeped in a world where everyone was an enemy and alliances lasted only as long as each party benefited from the other.  Could Scourge even understand greater emotions such as generosity and trust?  He had no reference for these things growing up in the culture of the Sith.  It was wishful thinking to think otherwise.

Tali wanted to like Scourge, but there was no point in risking an attachment when he was incapable of reciprocating such feelings in the first place.

    “I won’t let Scourge take me off guard like that again,” she said.  “Next time, I’ll be ready.  If this is a test, I will meet it head-on.”

    Kira grinned.  “Now, there’s the Tali I know.”

00o00

    Tali sat on the conference room table with her feet planted on the seat of a chair.  The crew meeting had ended a few minutes ago and now she was going through some reports on her datapad.  They were being sent back to Taris to retrieve some hidden Sith devices called the Seeds of Rage, which had been discovered buried in remote areas outside of populated planets across the galaxy.  Already, it seemed, new forces within the Sith Empire were rising to fill the power vacuum left behind by the Emperor.  The most threatening of these was a group of rogue Sith known as the Dread Masters, who as far as Tali could tell, were bent on sowing fear and destruction through the use of these Seeds.

    Tali reached out to grab a snack from the small box next to her.  She’d picked up some sugared fruit candies on Coruscant as a treat for herself and the crew.  Sergeant Rusk had already eaten all the purple ones during the meeting, but Tali’s favorite was the yellow, and there were still some left of those.  Being forced to endure another stay on Rakghoul-infested Taris called for a counterbalance of at least three yellow candies to compensate, Tali decided.  She pulled some more out of the box and got back to studying.

    There was a faint shuffle behind her and Tali turned to see Scourge entering the conference room.

    “You missed the meeting, Scourge.”

    He was peering into the candy box and didn’t bother to look up.  “I got detained at the spaceport.”  He pulled out a red fruit chew and inspected it before glancing up at her.  “It’s all taken care of now.  Just a little... _misunderstanding_.”  He enunciated the last word with a hint of distaste.  “Customs doesn’t like Sith coming or going anywhere near the Senate Tower.”

    Tali slowly set down her datapad.  “Everyone involved is still breathing, right?”

 

    “They’re intact.”  He chewed the red candy thoughtfully.

    That wasn’t quite the same thing, and Tali hoped that he was purposely being obtuse just to set her on edge.  She didn’t rise to the bait.

    “I had Jedi robes made for you.  You should wear them when you go out in public.”

    He shot her a stern look.  “I will not masquerade as some Jedi.”

    She tried a different tactic.  “You’ll be inconvenienced less often.  It’s for your benefit.”

    He grunted and reached for another candy.

    “The holo projector has a recording on it that will bring you up to speed on our latest mission.”

    Scourge flicked the switch and the projector sprang to life.  An image of a strange mechanical device floated over the table and an invisible narrator began to speak.

    _We cannot underestimate the dangerous nature of these objects,_ the voice said. _Reports are already coming in that attest to the damage they have caused across multiple planets.  We’re looking at corruption on a potentially massive scale: sickly plant life and mutant creatures, as well as documented negative health effects on sentients._

    Tali looked away from the recording and brought up a scan on her datapad.   Her droid, Tee-Seven, had done it for her earlier showing the extent of the affected area on Taris.  She began planning the travel route they would need to take.  In the background the narrator on the holoprojector was still describing the Seeds.

    _...psychological damage, biochemical mutations, possible anatomical effects..._

    She reached for the last yellow candy just as Scourge was dipping his hand into the box to grab it as well.  For a second their eyes met and then Tali darted out her arm and snatched it first.  She started to let out a chuckle, but was cut off by Scourge’s hand closing around her wrist.

    “I haven’t tried yellow yet,” he said.

    “But yellow’s my favorite.”

    He didn’t answer, only gave her a cryptic smile, then tugged her arm towards him.  He pulled the candy from her fingers with his teeth and ate it in one bite.

    “Hey.”  The holo projection had ended and the room had gone quiet.  He still hadn’t let go of her, Tali noticed.  

    “You are correct.  Yellow is rather good.”  He paused.  “So is the sugar coating.”  He guided her fingertips into his mouth.  Tali felt his tongue making leisurely swirls as he drew off the sugar.  A powerful heat stirred inside her, rapidly travelling to places she’d rather not think about. She flexed her arm to pull away but he tightened his grip.

The heat that enveloped her fingers only added to the heat which was pooling low in her abdomen.  “Scourge.”  Her voice was a warning.

His eyes came open and he slowly slid her hand from his mouth.  Instead of releasing her, her turned her wrist and brought the underside to his lips.  Tali was acutely aware of the rapid fluttering of her pulse, and she wondered if he could feel it through her skin.

“So many new things to taste and enjoy,” he murmured.

_No_ , Tali thought, _not this time_.  She drew inward on herself, closing her eyes and willing herself to focus.   _There is no passion, only peace._  She imaged her mind as a fortress and her inner thoughts as a quiet garden.  She breathed slowly, feeling some tension ease away from her limbs.

She heard Scourge’s voice as a distant sound.  “What are you doing?  You are shutting me out.”  He sounded surprised and even pleading.  “Don’t do that.”

Tali opened her eyes.  “Why shouldn’t I?”

He blinked at her.  “Sensing your emotion heightens my own.  I enjoy it.”

Well, she would give him points for honesty at least.  Her concentration had wavered though now and she knew she would have to start over in order to bring it back.

“Let go,” Tali said, raising her voice.

Scourge looked up.  “You did this to me.  What did you expect would happen?”

Tali felt a flare of annoyance.  “Your lack of self-control is _not_ my problem to solve.”

Scourge eyes flicked to hers and held them.  “Who said it was a problem?”

Tali came to her feet. In a split second, she had gathered Force power in her free hand, then thrust it out towards Scourge’s chest.  Her captured arm was yanked free as Scourge flew backwards.  Tali caught his expression of utter surprise and then he was driven against the far wall, his arms flying out on either side of his head.

Tali pinned him there with her will.  “We need to get a few things straight right now.”  She watched Scourge’s eyes follow her, attentive and focused, as she moved around the table to face him.

“You surprised me the first time, but I won’t make that same mistake twice.”  She stopped in front of him.  “I’m not here for you to take out your lustful urges on.  If you want to stay on this ship, you will respect my authority and you will obey my rules.”  Tali raised a finger.  “Rule number one: don’t touch me without permission.  Rule number two: if I make an order, you will obey it.  That’s what you Sith understand, isn’t it?   A hierarchy?  Then so be it.”

She waited for a response, then realized by the shallow rapid rise and fall of Scourge’s chest that she was restricting his breathing by pushing him too hard against the wall.  She loosened her hold slightly.

“Your talents are wasted in the service of the Jedi,” he managed.

“Rule number three.  You will stop trying to recruit me to the Sith.”

He was quiet a moment, and she suspected that he was assessing her, perhaps to determine the seriousness of her intent.  Then he spoke.

“I have forgotten my place.  It won’t happen again.”

“Good.”

“Are you going to release me now?”  He gave her the faintest raised eyebrow.  “Or do you prefer me this way?”

Tali let go of her hold, a bit more abruptly than she might normally have done, and Scourge was forced to quickly catch his balance as he came off the wall.  He made a curt nod in Tali’s direction and left the room.


	9. Chapter 9

    Scourge and Tali caught a ride on a Republic convoy headed to Taris’s Waypoint Station Draay, which was the closest outpost near the first buried Seed.  Scourge had requested, politely, Tali noted, that he be the one to accompany her on this mission.  The Dread Masters had in fact stolen the Seeds from a hidden repository of powerful Sith artifacts kept by the Emperor, and since Scourge was the foremost expert on her crew when it came to the Emperor and his secrets, Tali agreed to take him along.  She wanted to give Scourge a chance to demonstrate that he was capable of serving on her crew without any more incidents, and Scourge, to his credit, also seemed eager to prove his worth.

    The convoy was packed with supplies, leaving little extra room.  Tali was forced to sit squished together on a small bench next to Scourge.  They talked little during the ride, with Scourge mostly staring straight ahead.  Tali was relieved when the convoy at last stopped to drop them off and she could get out into the air and wide open spaces again.

    Taris was a ruined planet, destroyed some three hundred years before by an Imperial bombardment.  Tali tried to imagine Coruscant reduced to rubble in the same way, and could not.  Taris still harbored the rakghoul plague and was filled with lakes of toxic sludge, which made it an undesirable post for the troops stationed here.  For Tali, though, just the sight of the open sky was a reminder that she had long ago left behind the slums of Coruscant and the life she had once lived there.  As a small child, she had spent years deep within the bowels of Coruscant’s lower levels, never once setting eyes on the sky.  The view before her now, of the sun dappling the ground, and the trees reaching their green branches through the remnants of ancient skyscrapers, was one she would never take for granted again.  Most people saw desolation and sorrow when looking at Taris, but Tali saw a land stubbornly reviving itself.  Taris could be healed again.  Taris was a planet of hope.

    She pulled out her datapad and studied the topographic map that Tee-Seven had prepared for her.  This area was known as the Brell Sediment and was made up mostly of a lake by the same name, dotted with a few small islands.

    “The lake is fairly shallow,” she said.  “If we don’t stray too far from the shore, we may be able to wade all the way to the islands further out.”

    Scourge nodded and they set down the sloping path towards the lake.  Within a few minutes they traversed around one of the ruins and came toe to toe with the lake’s edge.

    “Oh,” Tali said.  From a distance, the lake’s water had appeared brown, and Tali had assumed it was simply the “sediment” part of the area’s name which made it that color.  Now she could see that the lake’s surface was actually a greenish-yellow and the air smelled acrid and bitter.  The lake was probably filled with chemicals. She stopped and surveyed their proposed path.

    “All right,” she announced, “ready to wade in some sludge?”

    It was an unnerving walk through Brell Lake.  The opaque water swallowed Tali’s boots completely, making it impossible to see where she was stepping.  As they grow closer to the island, Tali could see strange growths coming out of the ground, and spotted stooped creatures loping about the island’s surface.

    “Great,” she said.  “Rakghouls.”

    The air became oppressive and thick the further they went, and Tali found herself struggling for breath as if winded, even though they never went beyond a walking pace.  She felt stifled and trapped, and the urge to turn around and leave soon became overwhelming.  The dark side was heavy in this place, but it was more than just that.  There was a corruption here that went beyond any dark side power.  The very earth was sick, and soon Tali stumbled upon some of the strange plants she had seen earlier.  They grew bark like trees did, but instead of sprouting towards the sky, they curled inward on themselves as if bowed under some terrible weight, sometimes even burrowing back into the ground again.  Upon inspecting one closer, Tali was startled to discover that each plant was covered in shiny cybernetic nodules, that were fused on an organic level with the host plant.  It was disturbing.

    “Come look at this,” she said.

    That’s when she realized that Scourge was no longer beside her.

    She turned slowly, unease settling in.   _I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him_ , her mind whispered.   _He probably had nefarious reasons for coming._

    Then she saw him, some ways back.  How had she not noticed that he had stopped following her that long ago?  He was leaning forward with his hands on his knees.  Maybe he was just catching his breath?  Tali began wading toward him.  The water tugged at her legs as if trying to stop her, making her progress far slower than she would have liked.

    “Scourge,” she called.  “Are you all right?”

    She was relieved when he looked up and acknowledged her.  She finally got close enough to see his face, and that’s when she grew concerned again.  Scourge’s eyes were shut, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.  He looked pained.

    “What’s going on?”

    His eyes snapped open.  “I’m fine.”  He glared at her as if insulted by the question.

    Tali put a hand on her hip.  “Well, you sure don’t _look_ fine.”

    “Let’s keep going.”  He straightened and began to trudge forward.  Tali followed.

    They hadn’t gone far when he grunted and halted again.  

    “Scourge?”  Tali peered into his face.  He was breathing in short gasps and had his jaw clenched tight.  He didn’t appear to hear her at first, but then he sucked in a breath and blinked.

    “Something here...is affecting me.”

    “I can tell.  Is it the Seed?”

    “I don’t know.”

    “We’re close,” she said.  She pulled out the seeker droid that Master Gend had given her and held it out in her palm.  It lit up and began to spin, quickly rising into the air.  A light shot out around it as it scanned the area, and then a soft bell sounded and the side facing north began to glow green.

    “The droid has picked up the Seed’s presence.  Maybe we can grab it and get out of here.”

    She forged ahead.  They reached the dry land of the island and Tali drew her lightsaber.  She could already see a pack of rakghouls in the distance, scrambling about on all fours.

From beside her, Scourge suddenly stumbled and dropped forward onto his hands and knees.

    “Scourge!”

    He grunted but didn’t say anything.

    “Do you want to turn back?”

    Scourge’s head hung between his arms and he opened his mouth to speak, but he just swallowed a few times instead.  Whatever was going on, it had to be the Seed, Tali decided.  But why was it affecting Scourge and not her?

    “What is it?  Are you in pain?”

    “Enough talk!” he growled.  “Just...get the Seed.”

    Tali nodded.  Perhaps it was best to get this Seed locked away now.  She set the droid to scan again.  It adjusted its directional indicator to point northeast.

    “Ok, shouldn’t take me long to dig this thing up anyway.”

    She glanced at Scourge, waiting for a reply, but he did not respond.  His face had paled and beads of sweat had broken out across his forehead and scalp.  He was breathing raggedly.  Whatever was going on, it was serious, Tali realized.

    “I’ll be back for you,” Tali said, hoping that her words were registering somehow in his brain.

    The seeker droid’s indicator sent her deeper into the island’s interior. The island had no trees, merely the twisted plants created by the Seed, and they grew low to the ground, leaving her no cover to hide behind  As expected, Tali was ambushed by rakghouls after only a few minutes.  Tali cut down four of them, but she found herself tiring more easily than normal, and these rakghouls were different than the ones she had fought in the past.  They were mutated, making them far stronger and more vicious.  That didn’t mean they were smarter, however.  They acted hyper and fidgety, sometimes breaking off from her to attack each other instead.  Tali killed two more before the seeker droid at last turned up a hit.  A probe shot out from the hovering droid’s underside, burrowing deep into the earth.  Tali waited, watching eagerly to see what the droid brought up.  A few seconds later, the probe rose from the earth, this time with a small cylindrical object attached in its pincers.

    _That’s it?_ Tali thought.  The device was unfamiliar, but it didn’t look threatening or dangerous.  Tali held out her hand and the droid released the Seed into her palm.

    Tali had to scramble to catch it when it fell into her hands.  It was far heavier than it looked, and she ended up needing two hands to comfortably hold it.  As soon as her bare fingers touched the metal surface of the device, Tali felt the _wrongness_ of it.  The metal surface was slick with something akin to oil, but it had a nauseating feel to it that reminded Tali of the slime that grew on rotting vegetables.  Immediately she wanted to wash her hands.  She resisted the urge to drop it, suddenly certain that if she did it would bury itself back into the ground again.

    She had to balance the device against her hip in order to bring out the insulated container that Master Gend had supplied her with.  She flipped open the lid and began to carefully roll the device into the box.

    From behind her, there was a terrific screech.  She spun around, fumbling with the box as she simultaneously reached for her lightsaber.  By the Force, what was that thing?  It looked like a rakghoul, but it was nearly five times the size, and it was careening towards her on all fours with the speed of an oncoming tram. It was taller than her, taller than Scourge even, and its one red eye shone like that of a droid’s.

    Tali thrust her lightsaber out before her as the creature slashed wildly at her face.  She felt the box tumble from her grasp and heard it land in the dirt.  She risked a glance down and saw the box lying on its side, with the Seed just visible inside.  A tap might be all it took for the Seed to slip out.  Tali was forced to focus once again as the creature drew back an oversized hand, aiming to take out her eye with one of its yellowed claws.

    Tali called upon the Force and felt it wrap around her in answer, filling her mind with clarity and her bouying her movements with energy.  She had fought the Emperor, she reminded herself.  Surely she could handle an overgrown rakghoul.  But the Emperor’s strength had been a nebulous thing, measured through his connection with the Force, and ultimately he wore the body of a man.  This rakghoul was huge and physically much stronger than anything Tali had normally fought alone.

She broke through its wildly slashing arms to jab her lightsaber into its single eye. The creature screamed with a piercing cry and flailed with limbs.  Tali jumped out of the way, but one of the claws caught in the hem of her robes.  Tali was hoisted into the air and tousled like a dead weight.  Then the robe tore and she was cast into a free fall.  How high had the creature thrown her?  Tali struggled to regain her orientation.  She tucked her limbs under her and forced her body into a controlled spin, but the ground came at her much faster than she was expecting.  She landed unevenly, and stumbled for a proper footing.  One of her feet slid under the bowed trunk of a plant and lodged there.  Tali tried to regain her balance, jerking her leg instinctively to catch herself as she fell, but her foot did not move with her and she felt a tearing pain in her left ankle.  She careened backwards and slammed into the dirt.

She looked up to see the rakghoul bearing down on her and she threw out a hand to shield herself, calling upon every bit of Force power she had.  One of the creature’s elongated claws slashed downward and Tali let out a scream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've recently discovered from reading the SWTOR official forums that Scourge is bigger than the normal male body type 3. I've always thought that he looked ridiculously huge next to Tali, and now I know that it's because...he's actually ridiculously huge. Oh my.


	10. Chapter 10

    The pain felt like someone pouring acid into his veins and gouging a dull knife behind his eyes.  Scourge’s forehead hit the dirt as the strength in his arms turned to gelatin.  He was vaguely aware that Tali had moved away, leaving him alone, and he was grateful for that.  It was bad enough that she had seen him in this weakened state, but now he didn’t feel like he needed to hide the extent of the pain.  He roared, slamming his fist into the ground, until his cry of pain dwindled to a growl.  What was going on?  Why was he being affected in this way?

    Another surge of pain ripped through his body and his thoughts scattered.  He couldn’t recall an agony this intense since the days after the Emperor had transformed him.  The pain faded for a moment, just enough for him to suck in a few desperate breaths.  That’s when he heard Tali’s yell.

    It was a battle cry, tinged with urgency and laced with pain.  Something out there was attacking her.  Scourge felt a burst of fury.  He should be there, fighting at her side, not waylaid here, curled in the dirt like some wriggling infant, weak and helpless.  Disgraceful.

    Scourge lifted his head and for a moment the haze of pain cleared as a sight met his eyes which made him forget everything else.  An enormous mutant rakghoul was attacking an unseen opponent, and through the thick growth of sickly plants around him, Scourge thought he could just make out the green flash of Tali’s lightsaber.  Scourge drew himself to his hands and knees, gritting his teeth.  He tried to stand, but his legs would not obey, so instead he lurched forward on all fours, bellowing defiance.

    He didn’t make it very far.  He was blinded again by pain, disoriented to the point that his mission was forgotten.  His throat jerked with the urge to gag.  He was falling into a cold, black pit.  He was losing consciousness.

    Then, just as suddenly, the pain vanished.

    Scourge gasped for breath, blinking in the brightness of the sun.  One moment, his body had been burning in the fires of the hottest forge, but now he was shivering with the chill that followed.  His skin felt sticky with sweat, his clothes so soaked that he he was practically swimming inside his armor.  He drew himself carefully to his feet.

    Ahead, he could see the creature lying on its side, motionless.  Tali was nowhere in sight.

Scourge pushed forward, stepping over the twisted plant life.  As he came closer he felt a twinge of disquiet.  If Tali had won the battle, then where was she?  His stomach did an unwelcome lurch when he spotted a pale green arm flopped on the ground, poking out from underneath the rakghoul’s hideous body.  He sprang forward and grabbed the creature, lifting it up and hurling it away from her.

    Tali turned her head and blinked up at him, looking dazed.  In her remaining hand she gripped the hilt of her lightsaber and beside her lay a closed box.  Scourge guessed his pain had disappeared the moment the Seed had been sealed inside.

    Scourge breathed out slowly.  “I didn’t expect to find you alive.”

    Tali narrowed her eyes.  Strangely, she didn’t look thankful to see him.  “Are you disappointed your little ploy didn’t work?  I see you are just fine and dandy now.”

Some wariness between them was to be expected, but this level of suspicion seemed out of character for her.  They needed to get out of this place.

“I have no reason to want you dead,” he said.  She still hadn’t moved, he noted.  “Can you walk?”

Tali struggled to sit up and Scourge noticed that she was favoring her left leg as she moved.  She hoisted herself up on her elbow and pointed the unlit hilt of her lightsaber at him.

“Don’t come any closer,” she said.

“Put that away.  The Seed is affecting us both.”

    She stared at him a moment and Scourge watched the enmity drain from her face.  “You’re right.  It’s the Seed,” she said.  “You’ll have to go back to the base and bring back help.”

    “That won’t be needed.”  Scourge bent down and slid his arms underneath her.  She looked startled, but didn’t protest.  He remembered, too late, their conversation about rules from the day prior.

    “I’m going to carry you,” he said.  Then he added, “If you agree.”

She gave him a faint nod.

“You may want to hold on.”  He hoisted her up and she wound her arms around his neck.  She went rigid at first, but gradually began to relax against him.  Eventually her cheek pressed against his shoulder.  Her breathing slowed, and at first he wondered if she had become unconscious, but then he felt the draw of Force power around her, and realized that she had put herself into some kind of trance, perhaps as a means of coping with the pain of her injury.

Scourge was exhausted and his arms growing weary when he finally approached Draay outpost.  He was relieved that he even remembered how to find it, given that he only once had glanced at Tali’s maps.  It wasn’t far from the lake, he discovered, only just out of sight of it.

    As he came towards the entry gate, he heard a voice call out to him.

    “Halt Sith!  Don’t come any closer!  There are three rifles trained on your heart.”

    _I don’t have time for this_ , Scourge thought.  Tali was in such a deep trance that she didn’t even stir when he laid her down on a spot of grass.  He rose and marched steadily towards the gate.

    “I’m warning you!”  The voice had grown tremulous but the speaker was making an obvious effort to sound menacing.

    Scourge could see the tops of three heads peering out at him from from behind two barricades, along with the scope of their rifles.  Couldn't they see that he was approaching them empty-handed?  That he had brought an injured Jedi with him?  He wasn’t about to submit to pointless interrogations and disarmaments.

    Scourge threw out a hand and all three rifles were ripped from their owners’ fingers.  He cast his arm aside and the rifles flew through the air to land in the dirt, some distance away.

    “Stay out of my way.”  He gathered Tali into his arms again.  “This Jedi needs medical attention.”  He came closer, close enough now to see the astonished and frightened looks on the soldiers’ faces.  They backed away at his approach.

    Beyond the gates, the outpost was tiny, barely big enough for one small building and a few open-sided tents.  He did spot a kolto tank, however, and a medical droid.  He had been hoping for more.

    A woman ran to meet him.

    “Master Tal’ilavi is wounded,” he told her, choosing to be the one to take control of this conversation before it could go in an unwanted direction.  “I need you to take care of her.”

    “Of course, uh...sir,” said the woman.  She turned to one of the onlookers.  “Tell Commander Gardit that we have guests!”  She turned back to Scourge.  “I am Doctor Klay.  Please bring her over here.”

    She led him to a tent and directed him towards one of the empty cots.  This time, when Scourge set Tali down, she stirred and opened her eyes.

    “Are we at outpost Draay?”

    “We’re here,” Scourge told her.

    “Good,” she murmured.  She closed her eyes again.

    Scourge stepped aside but continued to watch as Doctor Klay scanned Tali and gave her a stim of some kind.  She leaned in and began to quietly ask Tali a series of questions.  Scourge couldn’t hear their words, but the doctor turned to glance at him while Tali replied.  Finally, the doctor straightened.

    “Lord Scourge.” Her tone was polite, but she said his name with distaste.  “You may have a seat if you like while we get the Jedi comfortable.  I’m afraid we don’t have any accommodations here, however.  We reserve our beds for the injured.”

    Scourge was sure they would have made an exception for another Jedi, if he had been one.  He crossed his arms.

    “I’ll just sleep in this chair.”

    “Oh.”  She frowned, obviously unhappy with his answer.  “As you wish then.”

    Sometime later, Scourge sat in the quiet tent, alone with Tali, who was sleeping.  Tali had her ankle wrapped in a kolto-soaked bandage.  She could be back on her feet in as soon as a week, if the kolto healing went well.   Fetching the Seed had taken a toll on both of them, however.  Tali was worn out and had done little other than sleep, and Scourge was having a hard time staying awake now himself.  He had holoed Kira, and was looking forward to her coming to take over so he could go back to the ship and get some rest.  There was no reason why Tali wasn’t in safe hands here, he realized, but it didn’t seem right for him to leave her in an outpost surrounded by strangers.

    He thought about how Tali had made it quite clear the day before that she was rejecting any kind of physical relationship between them.  He had thought her more pliable than that and had been surprised when she had blocked him from accessing her emotions. _Apparently she’s been practicing_ , he thought.  Before the moment she had cut him off though, her last feeling had been one of desire tinged with alarm.  She was afraid perhaps, the way all Jedi were, of letting her emotions lead her.  He had been so certain that he was meant to have her, but now he realized that he had jeopardized his presence on her crew and that was of even greater concern.  He would have to be more cautious in the future.

    He glanced down at the box that held the Seed, which was lying on the floor by his chair.  He was still worried about what had happened out there on Brell Lake.  It was not like him to exhibit such weakness, and he wasn’t used to enduring any infirmity for long.  His reaction to the Seed didn’t make any sense to him. He could understand being consumed by rage perhaps, or paranoia like Tali had, but pain?  He couldn’t grasp the logic.

    She hadn’t even needed him, anyway.  She had secured the Seed and had defeated the mutant rakghoul by herself.  What good was he?

He leaned over and lifted the box into his lap.  It was surprisingly heavy.  The latch made a loud click when he released it, but Scourge looked up to see Tali still lost in a peaceful sleep.  He raised the lid.

    Pain struck him like a needle piercing his temple, and Scourge’s hands flew involuntarily to his head.  The box slid from his lap and crashed to the floor, spilling the Seed out of it.  Scourge leaned forward, trying to remember to breathe.  Another wave of pain slammed into him him. The room spun and Scourge hit the floor.

    He forged his eyes open, trying to get his bearings.  A scream wound its way through his chest and threatened to burst out of him, but he ground his teeth together and silenced it.  Where was that blasted device?  He had to get it back in the box.  He crawled like a wounded animal across the floor, sweeping his hands wildly from side to side.  His fingers banged into something and he heard the Seed roll under Tali’s cot.

    He flattened his belly to the floor and forced himself to worm under the bed.  Finally he touched the Seed.  It burned in his grasp and he could swear it was vibrating, as if trying to break free, but he clutched it to him and hauled himself out from under the bed.  The box was back in his hand in an instant, and he hurled the Seed into it, slamming the lid shut.  The pain disappeared.

    Scourge breathed slowly.  He carefully latched the box and set it aside.  He sat up.

    Tali rolled over on the cot and smiled blissfully.  “The butterfly is kissing me,” she murmured.

Scourge wondered if Doctor Klay had overdone the painkillers.  He pulled himself back into the chair.

    This was bad.  How was he supposed to be a useful member of the crew if he couldn’t accompany Tali on her missions to gather up the Seeds? The truth was, Scourge didn’t know anything more about these Seeds of Rage than anyone else, even in spite of his long tenure in the Emperor’s service.  He suspected that he had more in common with these strange devices though than he wanted to admit, however.  It wasn’t just Force power which drove them; the Seeds were biomechanical creations.  Likewise, there had been more to Scourge’s transformation than just his Force link to the Emperor.  He opened his hand and looked at his forearm.  He remembered the tubes inserted into his veins throughout his arms and legs, the agony that followed when the unknown chemicals had fused with his system.  He recalled as well the way the Emperor had so casually informed him that the pain would be endure until his body eventually became numb to it.  He rarely relived those early days in his memories anymore.  When the promised numbness had finally come, his panic and terror had numbed with it, and so had the memories.

    Through the magnified power of the crystal, he and Tali had broken his link to the Emperor.  Scourge knew this part of the ritual had been successful.  But what of the rest?  What about the changes that his body had undergone?  How did the Force and the alchemical infusion react with one another?  Scourge had no idea.

    The fact that the Seeds affected him in such a physical way was a clue, he decided.  The pain he felt when in their presence was much like the pain he had endured due to the Emperor’s ritual.  Scourge had the feeling that if he had been left unchanged, the Seeds would not be affecting him at all.  He had no reason for this belief other than a hunch.  But Scourge had learned to trust in his instincts.

    Maybe each Seed was different.  Perhaps the next one would not affect him.

So he hoped.


	11. Chapter 11

    Scourge was growing weary of the distrustful looks cast his way while riding Coronet City’s tramway.  Corellia had been initially occupied by the Empire but was finally freed by Republic forces, and the people of the planet held no love for their former conquerors.  At first Scourge had met these stares eye to eye, but after drawing the attention of a CorSec officer, he had started ignoring them instead.  The officer, a member of Corellia’s elite security force, was still following him when he got off the stop at the government district.

    The officer was like a stubborn, ugly weed.  Just when Scourge thought he’d lost him, the man cropped up again, this time appearing from around a corner ahead of Scourge, essentially cutting him off.  The man had a huge hand cannon nearly as long as he was tall strapped to his back and a smaller blaster attached to his hip.  He crossed his arms as Scourge approached him.

    Scourge spoke first.  “Is it a crime to walk the streets of Coronet City?”

    “Do you make it a habit to stroll around enemy territories during wartime?”

    Scourge felt his annoyance growing, but he was also wise enough to understand the danger he was in.  It was unlikely that this man would confront him him alone, which meant that he had comrades nearby probably watching, and possibly even snipers who had him already in their scopes.  Scourge’s hand itched for the feel of his lightsaber, but he didn’t want to cause trouble for Tali.

    “I have a diplomatic pass.”

    “Let me see it.”

    Scourge handed it over and watched the man’s face while he inspected it and ran it through his datapad.

    “What is your destination?”

    “The Jedi Enclave.”

    The man looked up, confusion crossing his face  “Are you a Jedi?”

    “No,” Scourge said.  “But I have business with the Jedi.”

    “Are you here representing the Sith?”

    “I am a defector.”  Scourge cringed inwardly at his own words, but they were true.  He still considered himself Imperial, deeply so, but he knew there was no way his own people would claim him as their own now.

    “I see.”

    “They know I am coming.  Comm them,” Scourge added.

    “That won’t be necessary,” the officer replied.  “But I’m sure you won’t mind if I escort you the rest of the way.  For your own safety of course.”

    Scourge scoffed.  “Follow me if you like.”  He stepped past the man and continued on his way.

    At the entrance to the Enclave, Scourge was stopped again and forced to go through the same tedious process.  The CorSec officer left him once Scourge was admitted.  After passing through several checkpoints, Scourge reached the building’s interior, where yet another Jedi asked him for the third time who he was here to see.

    “I am with Master Tal’ilavi.  She is staying at the Enclave while in Coronet City.”

    “What is your business here on Corellia?”

    Scourge had had enough.  “You will have to discuss those details with Master Tal’ilavi.  I am under no obligation to reveal them to you.”

    The Jedi stared at him from under stern brows.  “I must ask that you leave your lightsaber with me then.”

    Scourge had reached the end of his patience, and he felt his indignation bubbling over into anger.  Of course he would not comply with such a request.

“I’ve had enough of your interrogations.”  Scourge stared down the Jedi.  “Are you going to let me pass or not?”

Scourge could feel the shifting tide of emotions barely suppressed beneath the Jedi’s calm facade.

“Sith are not allowed within these walls.  I will have to get Master Khopse.”  The Jedi turned to grab a comm unit on the shelf behind him, his shoulders lifting in an inaudible sigh.  

Scourge could hear the Jedi’s quiet muttering.  “I thought we’d finally gotten rid of your kind here on Core-”

Scourge had Jedi’s windpipe caught in a Force grip before the words had even finished leaving his mouth.  Enough was enough. He leaned close to snarl in the man’s ear.  “You Jedi are such hypocrites.  You talk about peace, but in the end, hate drives you just as it does the Sith.”

His use of dark side power had not gone unnoticed.  Instinct alerted Scourge to the incoming threat, and he turned to see a blur hurtling towards him.  Scourge dropped the man and drew his lightsaber.  A second Jedi was flying through the air like a tiny acrobat.  She landed on the counter before him, her swing already halfway in route to taking off his head.  Scourge blocked her blade and vaulted onto the counter beside her, removing her height advantage.  She drew back for another strike, but Scourge was faster.  He threw her across the room with a burst of Force energy, watching as she flew over the edge of a stairway railing and tumbled out of sight.

Green Jedi were converging all around him, but Scourge was a vortex of power.   He felt stronger than he had in ages, his senses alive like they had never been before.  Some part of him was thrilled to be facing worthy opponents at last, but he quickly found himself disappointed. He couldn’t kill these bewildered Jedi, even though his instincts screamed for blood.  Their insolence at insulting him could not go unaddressed, however.  Scourge needed to make sure of that.

To Scourge’s eyes, the Jedi around him - some running, a few already in mid-leap - seemed to caught in slow-motion.   _Yes,_ he thought, _come face the Emperor’s Wrath and see what his dark alchemy has wrought._  Scourge gathered the dark side around him like a suit of armor, feeling it bolster him with power, and leapt off the counter.  He thrust the energy away from him as soon as he hit the ground, driving it like a hammer into the floor, and it forked away from him in streams of lurid purple.  The ground cracked under his feet and the Jedi around him faltered, some losing their balance on the unstable ground, others stunned by the sudden surge of power.  One Jedi, a Cathar brute by the looks of him, managed to keep upright.  He was too far away to reach Scourge, but he hurled his lightsaber in the air and it spun towards Scourge in a whirling blue circle.

Scourge plucked the blade out of the air with his empty hand.  There was a brief moment of calm where Scourge became aware of the growing dismay of the Jedi around him.  Their indignation only further fueled his resentment, and he drank in their shock and outrage, a derisive laugh escaping him.

Hurried footsteps pounded towards him from behind.  Scourge spun, both lightsabers ready in his hands.

“Stop this!  What’s going on here?”

Tali came racing into the room, sounding breathless and alarmed.

Scourge lowered his weapons.  “Your Green Jedi friends aren’t very welcoming.”

The Cathar spoke up, strutting towards them.  “He attacked us unprovoked.  What is he doing here, anyway?”

Scourge pointed a finger towards the Cathar’s puffed-out chest.  “Pointless hindrances and insults.  You call that unprovoked?”

Tali stepped between the two of them and held out her hands.  “This is...it’s all a misunderstanding, I’m sure.”  She nodded to the Cathar.  “Lord Scourge is here with the approval of the Jedi Council.  He is aiding us.”

“The dark side clings to this Sith like a stench.  He is not welcome here.”

“Please.  Can we call a temporary truce?  We will conduct our business and leave.  We’ll be gone by tomorrow.”

“ _You_ can stay until your business is concluded,” the Cathar said, lifting his chin at Tali.  “But not him.”

Tali started to protest, but Scourge cut her off.  “Don’t bother.  I’m going back to the ship.”

“Wait, we can-”

“I’ve had enough of this place.”

Scourge pushed forward, heading for the door, and the gathered Jedi parted to let him pass.  He dropped the Cathar’s lightsaber at his feet as he walked by.

He could feel Tali’s confusion and exasperation even through the muddle of emotions pouring off the other Jedi.  Her feelings shone brighter to his senses than all the rest, perhaps because he was more in tune with her after having travelled together for so many months.  He shoved aside his concern - or was it guilt? - and only began to breathe easier when he stepped out into the growing dusk.

00o00

    Tali and Kira got back to the ship late in the evening the following day.  Finding the Seed had been relatively easy this time.  The mutant growths had taken over a very public and urban section of the Coronet Zoo, but extracting the Seed took longer than anticipated.  The Zoo was in shambles, and animal handlers were still in the process of trying to find suitable living quarters for all the displaced creatures.  Yet another mutant monster had taken up residence in proximity to the Seed, a pattern which Tali now suspected to find at every Seed they encountered.  Tali and Kira were forced to wait for the animal to be eliminated before they could enter the enclosure.  Tali had offered her and Kira’s help, but the Green Jedi had gotten there first, and she found herself quickly shut out of the operation.  The diplomatic thing to do had been to bow out and wait for clearance.  Since the altercation with the Green Jedi, Tali was eager to put Corellia behind her.

The ship was quiet when they entered, and Tali assumed the rest of the crew was asleep.  After she said goodnight to Kira and passed into the ship’s common area, however, she found Scourge slouched on a couch.  He looked morose and had a bottle of Corellian Red dangling from his hand.  He spotted her and immediately sat up straighter, then carefully set the bottle on the table before him.  Tali noticed there was no glass nearby.

“You’re up late, Scourge.”

“Nothing better to do,” he mumbled.

Tali approached cautiously and picked up the bottle.  It was almost empty.

“Don’t worry.”  His speech was slow and halting. “Drink doesn’t affect me.”

_Maybe it didn’t used to, but it does now_ , she thought.  The whites of Scourge’s eyes were bloodshot.

“If it doesn’t affect you, then why drink so much?”

Scourge shrugged.  “Because…” He appeared to be giving the question more thought than it deserved.  “...It tastes good?”

“Uh huh.”  Tali set the bottle down and went into the adjoining room.  She locked the Seed away with the others in the safe.  When she returned, Scourge was gazing at the bottle on the table, his shoulders turned inward. Tali wanted to ask him exactly what had happened at the Jedi Enclave, but she wasn’t sure if now was the best time.  Relations between the Green Jedi and the Council were often strained, and the Green Jedi were known to be a private and insular group.  That said, it wasn’t like Scourge to lose his cool either.  Well, not the old Scourge at least.  Who knew what was normal for this new, post-ritual Scourge?  Tali was glad no one had been hurt in the incident.

“I don’t belong here.”  Scourge was staring glassy-eyed into space, his face bland and empty.

“Scourge, the Corellians have reasons to be distrustful of Sith.  You have to try and understand.”

Scourge shook his head.  “That’s not what I mean.  I don’t belong...” he gestured to encompass the room, “... _here_.”  He paused.  “Or anywhere.”

Tali imagined life from Scourge’s point of view.  Whatever family he had once had were long since dead, he no longer had the prestige of being the Emperor’s Wrath, and now, he couldn’t even count on his body and emotions to obey as they once did.  Where, then, did he belong?

“You do belong somewhere,” Tali said.  “You belong on my crew.”

Scourge looked up, his eyes meeting hers.  “Do I?”

Tali wasn’t sure what to say.  It was true that Scourge wasn’t exactly friends with the rest of her crewmates and spent most of his time keeping to himself.  But being social had never been a requirement for service.

“Of course you do,” Tali said.

If it were possible for Scourge to slump deeper into the couch, he did so.  “I have outlived my time.  I expected to die when the Emperor was vanquished.  I no longer have a purpose.”

“We still have work to do.  We-”

“Rubbish.”  Scourge’s voice took on a stronger note.  “I have reached a dead end in my search for the Hands. The Emperor no longer speaks to them, and even the new Wrath is just a figurehead.  There is no point in pursuing it further.”

“What about the Dread Masters, then?  They look to be just as grave a threat as the Emperor was.”

“I have not been helpful with that so far.  I think...perhaps, that you were supposed to kill me.  But something went wrong.”  He frowned and studied the empty air in front of him.

“Of course I wasn’t supposed to kill you!  You helped prepare me to face the Emperor.  You couldn’t have done that if you were dead, now could you?”

For the first time Tali began to wonder if she had, in fact, made a mistake in curing Scourge.  Yes, he had gotten back his five senses and his ability to feel.  But what had that left him with?  Now, Scourge was drowning in the weight of his own self-reflection.

“You say you want me on your ship, but you don’t _want_ me.”  He glanced up at her, true puzzlement written across his face.

Tali’s eyes dropped to the ground.  “Scourge…”  Did he think that was all he had left to offer?

“I know.”  He waved his hand.  “Forget I said anything.”

“You gave up your life and your allegiance to help us.  I won’t abandon you.”

“So you pity me.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“You said enough.”

An uncomfortable silence fell between them.

“I can never live unmolested here in your Republic,” Scourge said at last.  “I am Sith.  I am the enemy.”

“Many of these people have been through war.  They are afraid of the Sith for good reason.”

“As well they should be.  Fear, I understand.  But I cannot tolerate their contempt.”

“The Empire conquers worlds, destroying cities and bringing war. In your Empire I would be seen as nothing more than a slave.”   _Why am I having this conversation with a drunken Scourge?_ Tali wondered.

“That could change,” Scourge said.  “Darth Malgus understood.  He would have taken the Empire on a different course.  Under other circumstances I might have even joined him.”

“Malgus is dead.”

“Dead.  Yes.”  Scourge leaned forward and snatched the bottle off the table.  He threw his head back and downed the last few swallows.  Then he pointed a finger at Tali.

“It is not enough that the Empire may be defeated.  The Jedi will chase us across the galaxy like they did before, not content to rest until every last Sith is dead.  What you call peace, I call annihilation.”

He hung his hand over the edge of the couch and dropped the bottle onto the floor.  It thunked to the ground and rocked but it did not fall over.  “And I fear I may live to see that day come to pass.”

“I believe in peace,” Tali said.

“Do you?”  Scourge’s eyes found hers.  “Are you truly willing to allow peace to happen?  Could you shake hands with the Sith and walk away?”

“Could your Sith do the same?”

Scourge grunted in a half-chuckle.  He slouched back onto the couch and his foot hit the bottle, tipping it over.  The hollow clunking sounded loud in the quiet room.  Scourge muttered an unusually colorful swear.  He must have seen Tali wince because a slow smile teased the corners of his lips.

“Did I offend your delicate ears, Jedi?”

Tali didn’t like that sly look.  It reminded her too much of another late night that they had spent together.

“We are at an impasse, once again,” Scourge continued.  “Like everything else between us.”

Tali stood there awkwardly, wondering if this was the end of the conversation.  Did Scourge really fear the extinction of the Sith and of his race?  Assimilation was more likely, but perhaps to the Scourge that was the same thing.

“Not all Jedi hate the Sith.  But we do want to stop their incursion.”

“The Jedi want to see the dark side destroyed.  That would destroy the Sith as well.”

“The dark side is unnatural.  It goes against life.”

Scourge came alert, straightening his spine and shooting her a withering look.  “Is that what they teach the Jedi these days?”

Tali felt her discomfort growing.  She _hadn’t_ been taught that, she realized, not explicitly.  She knew there were places throughout the galaxy, even ones empty of all civilization, where the dark side was strong.  She had always assumed that some in some ancient time, dark side users had once gone there and left their mark.  But what if the dark side had always been there?  The implication of Scourge’s words bothered her.

“ _Too much_ of the dark side is unnatural then.  It glorifies pain and hatred.  Why would anyone want to nurture these things?”

“And your emotional denial encourages apathy and indifference.  Isn’t that bad too?”

“No,” Tali said, feeling annoyed but reminding herself to stay calm.  “You can have emotional control without losing your compassion and concern for others.”

Scourge’s eyes dropped to the bottle on the floor.  He bent over and picked it up, then glared at it like he was disappointed that it was still empty.

“You are cutting yourself off from a great well of power,” he said.  “A power that is already present within you.  That is wasteful.”  He set the bottle back on the table again.

“I don’t need to tap into the dark side to accomplish what I want.”

Scourge stood up, wobbling slightly.  His voice dropped low.  “But you are curious.”  There was a gleam in his eyes when he looked at her.  “Aren’t you?”

Tali opened her mouth for a reply, but Scourge gave her a disarming smile which cut into her train of thought.

“Just as you are curious about me,” he said.

_Peace,_ Tali thought.   _I can handle this._

“You wonder what you might be missing, what it would be like if you gave in, don’t you?”

Tali was no longer sure if he was talking about succumbing to the dark side or about trying to get her in bed.  Maybe it was both.  She said nothing, concentrating instead on clearing her mind and letting the Force enter her like a warm light.

“You are getting better at blocking your thoughts and feelings from me,” Scourge said.  “I have trouble reading you now sometimes.”

Moments ago, Scourge had picked up on her sympathy for his plight and had called it pity.  Tali had been slightly chagrined because he had been right.  She had walked in on a man who was lost and fumbling for purpose, and due to her part in his cure, she felt partly responsible.  She couldn’t imagine throwing Scourge out, although she was disappointed in his behavior back at the Enclave.  She looked at him now, his eyes hazy and unfocused, and realized that her attraction to him was no longer at the forefront of her mind.  It was still there, but it felt contained and distant.  Maybe she was truly conquering this weakness after all.

“I think we’ve reached the end of this conversation,” Tali said.

Scourge watched her a moment longer, his balance wavering, and then looked away.  “Good night then.”

Tali turned and headed back to her quarters.  Her senses were on high alert, and she sent out feelers to see if Scourge was following her.

He wasn’t.


	12. Chapter 12

    Scourge had discovered a renewed appreciation for music.  For so long, music had sounded flat and out of tune to him, as if all the emotion had been drained out of it.  He hadn’t been able to grasp melodies or feel moved by an elegant harmony.  Music had been just another meaningless series of sounds jumbled together into noise.

    But since the ritual things had changed.  Scourge made it his mission to listen to any style of music he could get his hands on, and once the other crew members caught wind of his interest, they began offering him suggestions based on their own tastes.   Rusk offered him a disc filled with strange rhythmic buzzing and clanging sounds, while Kira, he discovered, preferred thumping, frantic dance songs.   Doc claimed he didn’t listen to music, but Scourge eventually realized that Doc’s hideous warbling in the shower each morning was his attempt at belting out show tunes.  Tali’s tastes he wasn’t sure of.  So he began researching other musical genres on his own.

His most recent discovery was the Galactic Symphony Orchestra.  In those moments when he sought solitude, he found their music to be suitable company instead.  He sat at a table in the conference room now, one of their arrangements filling his ears through some headphones.  This piece had a soprano guest singer on it, and her voice was like paradise.  He couldn’t decipher what species she was, but she was doing things with her voice that should not have been physically possible, at least not if she were human.  She changed octaves again and her voice soared, sending chills up his spine.

    Tali was on the other side of the room, engrossed in charting Seed coordinates on the wall with the holoprojector.  Every now and then Scourge caught himself watching her.  He had been in the room first when she had arrived, and they had spent a brief moment politely agreeing to share space.  Then she went to work, completely ignoring him.

    He could sense nothing from her.  He was a thirsty man in a barren desert, watching as a once fertile oasis dried up before his eyes.  Tali had been meditating more than usual lately, and had clearly been practicing the art of stilling her mind.  She did it so effortlessly in battle, that it was only a matter of time, Scourge realized, before she learned to transfer the skill into daily life.

    Tali had never been trained to be a diplomat.  The Jedi Council frequently sent her on highly volatile missions where concilliation was no longer an option, expecting her to intercept and eliminate threats that could be stopped no other way.  Scourge imagined that in her time as a Jedi, she had simply not come into contact with any Sith who _didn’t_ want to fight her, nor had she spent extended time in the company of one.  Perhaps this was how her handicap had managed to go overlooked.

    She was making up for it now.  Scourge could tell that it taxed her, and that she needed to make a noted effort to quiet her emotions around him.   There were times, however, like now when she was engrossed in another activity, and still Scourge could not feel anything from her.  He suspected that she was simply engaging her mind in other ways, a diversionary tactic that even Force-blind were capable of.  It could mean that she was growing comfortable around him, maybe even complacent.  Or it could mean that she simply wasn’t interested in him anymore.

    That didn’t bother him though.  Why should it?

    He could satisfy his desires elsewhere.  He didn’t _need_ Tali for that.  He was attracted to her, certainly, and would have chosen her as his preferred partner over another, but that didn’t mean that he was helpless in finding satisfaction _anywhere_.  Scourge felt a growing annoyance taking hold of him, but he wasn’t sure what exactly had set it off.  He wanted her to notice him, he supposed, not ignore him.  Her recently apathy towards him felt like being suddenly cast into shadow after baking in the sun.  He was left cold and bereft.

    No, Tali wasn’t apathetic towards him, he decided.  She pitied him.  That had to be the only reason she kept him around.  Scourge cringed remembering their conversation a few nights prior.  He had never intended to reveal his thoughts so openly, and certainly wouldn’t have if the wine hadn’t loosened his tongue.  That had been a mistake.

Scourge’s eyes had found their way to Tali again.  She paused with her hand on her hip, and tapped the end of a stylus against her teeth.  Scourge watched the tip slide between her lips and then back out again. She hoisted herself onto the table, crossing her legs and getting comfortable.  Then stylus was back in her mouth.   She pursed her lips to suck on the end and Scourge’s imagination started going places where it had no business going.  The singer’s voice in his ears ached with yearning, and Scourge felt himself growing irritable with a mixture of self-pity and desire.  His pants had become uncomfortably tight and he realized that he was gripping the edge of the table.  This needed to stop.

    The stylus left Tali’s mouth and she slowly swiveled to look at him.

    _She knows_ , Scourge realized.  She could feel his arousal.  He met her eyes but looked away quickly after.

    “I…” He fumbled to remove the headphones and get to his feet, feeling angry with himself.  “I’m going now.”  He felt her gaze following him as he left the room.

    He rushed down the stairs to his room, slammed his fist against the door panel, and breathed a sigh of relief as it slid shut, locking him in darkness.  He rested his head against the cool metal of the door.  He was burning.  As he adjusted his clothes, the feel of his hand bumping against his swollen body wrung a groan from his throat.  Relief was not going to be forthcoming however, not with Tali so close in proximity.  She would feel his emotion and he wasn’t comfortable with that.

    _I’m going to go mad._  He had to do something.  Find an outlet.  Anything.

    The ship was still docked in the hangar, so he left as discreetly as he was able, gesturing for Tee-Seven to follow him as he headed for the door.  The little droid whistled questioningly as it fell into line behind him.

    Entering the wide, open space of the hangar was an immediate relief.  Scourge found a space clear of obstacles and then turned to Tee-Seven.

    “Open a link to the outside PA system,” he said, “and put this on it.  Loud.”  He inserted an audio disc into the droid.  Tee-Seven beeped an acknowledgment and within seconds the cascading melodies of the orchestra were blasting through the hangar from the ship’s announcement speakers.

    Scourge drew his lightsaber and slid into a mindless rotation of combat forms.  As his muscles warmed up, he felt the tension draining out of his body.  He stretched and lunged, eventually working up a sweat.  He peeled off his shirt and kept going, determined to push himself, wanting every last exhausted muscle to feel earned.  His lunges grew more forceful, his movements more aggressive, and he found a tight, burning anger creeping into the back of his mind.  He wanted an enemy to face.  Missed it, in fact.  He wondered idly if there was anyone that Tali needed dead.

    He became aware that he was being watched.

The feel of her Force energy was something he would recognize anywhere.  He turned and looked to the ship’s ramp, but the doorway was empty.

Tali was gone.

0oo0

    “We may have to split up.”  Tali looked up from her datapad into the faces of her two companions.  She had brought both Scourge and Kira with her this time to look for the Seed on Tatooine.  The approximate coordinates she had been given showed the Seed’s location as falling right along a cliff side.  Now, Tali, Scourge and Kira stood at the juncture of a road where one path led below the cliffs and one above it.

“I can’t pinpoint the coords any better, so we may need to search both areas.”

Tali didn’t like having to choose who to take with her.  After what had happened to Scourge on Taris, she didn’t want to send him alone, but she also didn’t want to get caught alone herself with another form of mutant wildlife.  She had felt it important to bring him along however, even if only to show him that he could still be a useful member of the crew.

“Whoever finds the location of the Seed first must holo the others so we can regroup.  Under no circumstances should the person travelling alone try to retrieve the Seed without back-up.  Is that understood?”

Kira and Scourge both nodded, although Scourge was scowling.  Tali wasn’t sure if he felt chastised by her orders of if the sun was simply in his eyes.

“I’d prefer to come with you, Master,” Kira said.

Tali glanced at Scourge.  “You want to take the lower path, Scourge?”

“Fine.”  Scourge’s response was curt.  Tali caught Kira rolling her eyes, but Scourge didn’t appear to notice.

“Ok then. Kira and I will take the upper road.  Let’s keep in touch.”

They hopped back on their speeders.  Tali watched as Scourge’s speeder disappeared down the slope.  Then she nodded to Kira and they set down the road before them.

An hour later they still had found no sign of the Seed.  There was nothing here but rocks and sand and the occasional womp rat.  Tali and Kira stood looking out over the edge of the cliffs at the vast desert beyond.  Tali wondered if Scourge was having any better luck.  She took a swig from her canteen and grimaced as some grit slid down her throat along with the water.  The wind had picked up and it was driving dust into everything.

“I’m surprised we haven’t heard from Scourge yet.”  Tali took another drink and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

As if on cue, her comm unit beeped.  It wasn’t Scourge however.

“Hey Rusk, what’s going on?”

Sergeant Rusk had stayed back in Anchorhead along with Doc and Tee-Seven.  Tali was half expecting him to say that Scourge was there, with the Seed in tow, but he had other news.

“Master Jedi, there’s a big sandstorm showing up on the radar, coming from the west, and it’s going to pass over your location in about thirty minutes.”

“That doesn’t give us much time.”

“It’s moving fast, and we didn’t see it show up until now.”

“All right.  Make sure you holo Scourge next.  We had to split up.”

“Can do, Master Jedi.”  Rusk gave her a salute and disappeared.

“Well, I guess we’ll have to postpone the search until tomorrow.  See any short cuts on the map that will get us back to Anchorhead, Kira?”

Kira spent a moment studying the map before responding.  “There’s a canyon to the east that maybe-”

The holo beeped again.  Kira paused and nodded for Tali to answer it.  It was Rusk again.

“Scourge isn’t answering his comm.”

“Maybe the storm is interfering with the signal.”  Tali grew concerned.  Scourge’s path had taken him further west than theirs, and so the storm would hit him before it reached them.

“I’ll keep trying,” Rusk said.

Tali put away the comm and was quiet.  Had Scourge found the Seed afterall?  Was he lying incapacitated on the sands somewhere out there?

“Scourge can take care of himself,” Kira said.  “He’ll be all right.”

“I hope so.”

They mounted their speeders and began the return trip back.

After only ten minutes, it became obvious that they weren’t going to make it back to Anchorhead before the storm.  Tali recalled that they had passed a tiny settlement on their way out.  It had looked poor and undersupplied, but at least it was inhabited.  Perhaps they could wait out the storm there.  Kira agreed and they pushed on.  The wind was picking at their clothes and trying to push their speeders off the path when they finally reached the intersection where they had originally separated from Scourge.

Tali stopped the speeder and waited for Kira to pull up beside her.

“Kira, I want you to go on to the village.”

“Without you, Tali?  No way.”

“I won’t be long.  I just want to go down the path a bit and see if I can spot anything.  I’ll be back before the storm.”  Tali saw Kira still frowning at her.  “I promise,” she added.

“Ok. But if you are not back in fifteen minutes, I’m coming after you.”

“You won’t need to.”  Tali gave Kira a wave and sped down the path Scourge had taken.

The slope began gently but quickly turned steep, traversing straight through the walls of the cliff, with sheer rock on either side like in a small canyon.  Tali’s bike picked up speed and then burst out from the canyon into the vast and open desert.

Except the open desert wasn’t there anymore.

In its place, a churning wall of dust rose high into the air, stretching as far north and south as Tali’s eye could see.  It was taller than any of the buildings in nearby Anchorhead, and it was racing across the desert plain with a sound like a wailing banshee.

    For a moment, Tali was frozen in awe.  There was no way Scourge could not have seen this coming from a distance. Maybe he had already found shelter?  Maybe he was even waiting for them back at the village.  But another voice continued to nag at Tali.   _Why had he not answered his comm?_

Tali snapped back to reality.  She could no longer see the path in front of her.  Her vision was growing hazy and when she looked up the suns were nothing but a distant glow behind the clouds.  No, those weren’t clouds.  The storm was overtaking her.  Tali realized that she’d come as far as she was able.  She had to go back.

Reluctantly, she turned the speeder around.  She made it halfway up the hill when the engine began to sputter and whine.  The sand was clogging up the gears.   _Please don’t die_ , she thought.  The dust was turning the air orange and it was becoming harder to breathe.  Tali kept getting tickles of grit in her throat and by the time she finally reached the hill’s crest, she was coughing so hard her eyes were watering.  She wiped her eyes and studied the split path.  The sand had shifted and the road was obliterated.  Tali chose her direction using the speeder’s compass instead.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she sped onward.  The sky was growing darker now, almost as dark as night.  How far was this village again?  She was beginning to fear that she had mistakenly passed it by when a wall sprung up in front of her, terrifyingly close.  Tali pulled back on the brake and the speeder jerked to a stop.  She had almost hit one of the houses.  She lept off the speeder and ran to the front door.   _Please let someone be home._  She banged on the door with her fist.

    Eventually, it opened.

    “Tali!”  Kira threw herself at her and enveloped her a hug.  Then she grabbed her by the arm and yanked her inside.

    A middle-aged human couple in simple attire stood in the main room, staring at her.  The woman quickly spoke up.  “Come in Master Jedi.  We are happy to offer our home to you and your pupil.”

    “Whatever were you out here for?” the man asked.

    “I’m looking for a Sith.” Tali paused. “He didn’t come through here by any chance, did he?”

    The woman was vigorously shaking her head.

    “We would have barred our doors if he had,” the man answered.  “Don’t you worry though, Master Jedi.  That storm will take care of that Sith for you.  All you’ll have to do is go out later and collect the body.”

    Tali saw Kira give her a panicked look.

“I already notified Doc where we are,” Kira said.  “Told him we’d holo again when the storm has passed.”

    “Thanks, Kira.”  She slumped into a nearby chair.  Was Scourge as good as dead?

    The next hour passed with agonizing slowness.  The storm lashed the walls of the tiny house and rained sand on the roof so thunderously that it was difficult to hear normal speech.  The windows had been sealed tightly, so Tali couldn’t look outside, but the man assured her that there was nothing to see.

    Tali imagined Scourge lost in the sands somewhere, trying to weather this storm with no shelter.  Already her right cheek had turned dark green and raw from her brief time enduring the abrasive wind.  Could he breathe out there?  Would his skin be torn to ribbons?  She thought of Scourge, fearless and unyielding, finally brought down by something so impersonal as a moving cloud of sand.  It pained her.

Kira chatted politely with their hosts, but Tali spent much of the time in a state of semi-meditation, trying to reach out and feel for any signs of Scourge.  She found nothing.  Finally, Kira tapped her on the shoulder.

    “It’s safe to go out now, Master.”

    As soon as they had left the hut, Tali turned to Kira.  “I’m taking my speeder to go look for Scourge.”

    “What speeder?”  Kira glanced at Tali apologetically and pointed.

    All that was visible was a pair of handle bars sticking up from a mound of sand.

    “I’m sorry Tali,” Kira said.  “Take mine though.  They let me store it in the shed over there.”

    “No,” Tali said.  “Get back to Anchorhead and get a search party out here as soon as you can.  I’ll wait here.”

    After Kira left, the man of the hut approached Tali and shly offered her his own speeder for her use.  Tali leapt to her feet, thanked him, and promised to return it later.  

Within minutes, she was aboard the borrowed speeder and was racing across the sands.


	13. Chapter 13

    _This is getting ridiculous_ , Scourge thought.  What he had been reduced to?   _A mere messenger boy, that’s what.  Find the Seed.  Report its location.  Stay behind while someone else retrieves it._  The more Scourge dwelled on it, the angrier he got.

    He yanked the speeder forward full throttle and it took off across the sands.  The sun smothered him like a blanket, baking the air and making it hard to breathe.  Riding the speeder pushed the wind into his face, cooling his skin and bringing at least some relief.  Scourge had the urge to just ride on and on, forever even, as far as the horizon.  He had never been one to run from problems however, and once the thrill of racing across the sands began to wear off, Scourge knew that he would need to face this challenge head on.

    He jerked the speeder to a stop, got off, and tossed it into the sand.   _Here_ , he thought.  The Seed was close.  He had felt compelled to stop for a reason.

    He had expected to feel a surge of dark energy when he got close, like he had the first time, but instead he felt nothing.  Or nothing so direct anyway.  The urge to be _here_ , to get closer, tugged him towards the cliffs as if he were on a leash.  The cliffs rose to his left in a giant wall of rock, towering so high that it stretched a wide band of shade across the ground.  Scourge stepped under the shadow of the cliffs, feeling the air grow noticeably cooler.  The wall was not solid.  It was marked with crags and dead-end hollows.  Scourge peered down a few of the longer ones, but knew that searching them would prove unfruitful.  He felt the pull urging him onward.

    He would just get a visual, he decided, and maybe test the boundaries of how close he could get.  That much was worth discovering.  If the pain hit him again, he would retreat and follow Tali’s orders.  But if this Seed were different?  Well, there would be no reason why he couldn’t retrieve it.

    He came upon a sloping trail that led upwards, cutting into the cliff wall and threading through the rocks and crevices.  Scourge felt the call of the Seed pulling him closer, like a whisper in his ear.  He trudged up the slope, around corners, further and further along the trail, knowing he must be getting close.  The call had risen from a whisper to a droning buzz, and Scourge felt a prickle running across his skin.  Then came a strange sensation, like an epiphany about to burst into his mind, something important, he knew, something that would explain _everything_.  Scourge quickened his pace, eager to find the source, eager to _know_.   _It will all make sense when I get there_ , he thought.   _Then I will finally understand._  But it was becoming harder to hold onto his thoughts.  The noise humming through his head was distracting, and just when he felt that some realization was about to bring enlightenment, it was nudged away.   _I need to get closer.  Just a little bit more._

    The noise abruptly vanished, and in the silence Scourge felt the cobwebs swept from his mind.  He looked around.

    He was surrounded by the mutant growths, standing in a field of twisted cybernetic plants that dove in and out through the sand, looking like giant worms.  Scourge slowly turned, trying to retrace his path to see how he had gotten here.  The edge of the trail was far behind him.  How had he come so far without even realizing it?

    A jolt slammed into him, full of sound and pain and a vibration that stung his nerves like an electric charge.  The ringing in his ears was so loud that Scourge could hear nothing, the spots that coalesced before his eyes blocking his vision so he couldn’t even see. Scourge doubled over, struggling to breathe.  He had to leave this place.  He had to find the trail.

    He blundered forward, tripping over his own feet, knocking into obstacles, pushing himself back up whenever he fell to his knees. Gravity felt suddenly so much heavier, and Scourge knew that if he toppled over completely that he would not have the strength to rise again.  The head of the trail was so far away.  He gasped for air and hurled himself towards it, feeling the ground starting to slope beneath his feet, knowing he was almost there.  The tilt of the trail accelerated his strides but made him clumsier, and something grabbed his foot.  He was thrown violently forwards, a torrent of sand splashing up into his face like a tidal wave.

He blinked and found himself lying on the ground.  How long had he been here?  A few seconds?  Minutes?   _Hours?_ Something was wrong.

Scourge slowly rose.  He discovered that he had made it midway down the trail.  There, past an overlook, the distant plain was spread out before him.  The open desert should have been beyond, and the faint line of the horizon beyond that, but it wasn’t.

The horizon had vanished and the desert was gone.  Instead a dark cloud advanced toward him, chasing a strong wind which whipped at his face and tore at his clothes.  It was a sand storm.  And it was enormous.

Scourge turned around.  Behind him, the Seed and its foul brood of mutant growths awaited him.  He was trapped.  Scourge crouched on the lee side of a rock and did his best to pull the Force around himself like a bubble.  As the cloud came closer, he felt the sand stinging his face and hands, scouring his skin.  He curled forward, covering his head with his hands, and prepared to endure the might of the elements.

00o00

Tali found the landscape changed from when she had last seen it only an hour before.  Roads were wiped out, paths were blocked by new dunes deposited by the storm, and at first Tali felt nothing but dismay.  She stuck close to the cliffside, figuring she couldn’t get lost as long as the sheer wall stayed in sight on her left.  Every unidentifiable lump she came across she paused to inspect.  Once she found a decrepit speeder of some antiquated design, and another time she came across a dead womp rat, but most of the lumps turned out to be rocks and nothing more.

It was like the sands had swallowed him up, causing him to simply vanish.  Tali tried to stay calm and focused.  Where would Scourge have gone?   _Search for the Seed, and perhaps you will find Scourge_ , she decided.

Tali found crevices throughout the cliffside, and she began to search them all.  Many led to dead ends, but a few wound deep into the cliffside, following a maze-like route that branched and twisted.  Tali felt uneasy, realizing that she could become lost in such a place.

After an hour of fruitless searching, she tried a different tactic.  She parked the speeder and knelt in the sand to reach out with the Force instead.  The desert was to all appearances a barren place, but Tali sensed the life that struggled to assert itself even in Tatooine’s harsh environment.  She encountered the mindless thoughts of non-sentient animals, and the vaguer feel of stubborn plant life, but nothing else.  She reached farther, pushing with all the energy she could muster, and then, finally, she touched something.

Her probing was met with a burst of dark side power so unexpectedly strong that Tali was almost startled out of her trance.  It reacted to her presence as if it were a living thing, winding icy fingers into her psyche like a parasite might burrow into a host.   Tali broke away quickly, shaking off its hold and feeling disturbed.   Such a vile thing had to be from the Seed.  And where the Seed resided, she would find Scourge.  She got back on her speeder and raced towards the dark power source.

    She found what she had been searching for some minutes later.  Scourge’s speeder lay abandoned in the sand, only the back taillights visible.  Here a faint path wound up the cliff side, and as soon as Tali embarked upon it, she began to spot a few of the same mutant growths that she had seen on Taris and Corellia.  The path was rocky and treacherous, with one side scrubbed bare by the wind and the other buried deep in sand. Tali realized as she rounded a corner that she felt something - a presence - coming from one of the nearby mounds of sand.

    She was off of her speeder in a heartbeat, kneeling in the dust and digging frantically.  Her hand hit something solid, yet not hard or sharp like a rock.  She began pushing large swaths of sand away, using her whole arm to clear the area.  There, underneath the sand, she found Scourge.

    Tali felt her heart racing and lump forming in her throat.  She had never lost one of her crew mates.  How could she have let him go off alone?  As she brushed the sand away, she found him curled on his stomach, with his hands cupped over his head.  He was facing downward along the path, away from the Seed, as if he had been trying to get away when the storm hit.  She uncovered his neck and face, and switched to blowing the sand away with her breath, rather than scrape it with her hands over his already raw skin.

Tali tried to roll him over, calling his name as she did so.  He was so covered with sand that he was barely recognizable.  Her voice grew louder and she shook him harder, wanting nothing more than to hear him answer in annoyance.  His arm moved then under her grasp, flopping to the ground as if he didn’t have the strength to move it.  She kept pushing and at last he toppled over onto his back.

“Scourge.”  She gripped both his shoulders and leaned over him.

His face was caught in a grimace.  Was he in pain?  She recalled how the last Seed had affected him and looked up.  One of those hideous cybernetic plant hybrids was only meters away.  She had to get him out of here.

Would her comm work?  Thankfully it did.  She called Kira, and her holo was answered immediately.

“Call off the search party and get a medical transport to these coordinates right now!  I found Scourge.”

Kira assured her that one would be on its way.

She busied herself with unearthing Scourge from the mound of sand.  When that was finished, she sat back on her haunches.  She had to get him off this path and as far away from the Seed as possible.  He groaned loudly and jerked away from her when she lifted his arms and tried to drag him down the slope by his wrists.  She couldn’t have gotten him far anyways, she realized.  He weighed far too much for her to even drag.

She drew into herself and called upon the Force.  Raising her arm, Scourge slowly rose from the ground and hovered in the air before her.  She held tight to her concentration and slowly began to trudge down the path, pushing Scourge before her as she went.  By the time she reached the bottom she was already exhausted but she pushed on.  The farther away she could get him, the better.  Her mind was growing fuzzy when she finally had to stop.  It took all her effort to set him down gently without dropping him, but when she looked around, she realized that had left the mutated area far behind.  She was directly in the path of any incoming traveler, so she knew that the transport wouldn’t miss them on its way to her original coordinates.

Scourge made a gasping noise and began coughing violently, wheezing and struggling for breath.  He had his eyes squeezed shut, but he began to fumble about with his hands as if searching for something.  He opened his mouth and tried to speak but another coughing fit overtook him before any words could find their way out.

“Scourge, it’s me. Tali.  I’m bringing help.  Hang on, ok?”

He coughed some more but eventually quieted.  Tali couldn’t tell if he had heard her.

Tali was overjoyed when the transport finally arrived.  A droid driver assisted in getting Scourge loaded inside.  Tali could see that there was clearly no room for an extra passenger, but that didn’t matter.  She had other things to attend to first.

“Take him to the med center in Anchorhead,” she told droid.  “I’ll be along when I can.”

She shielded her eyes as the transport slowly lifted off and sped towards the horizon.

00o00

    It was two hours later before Tali finally hopped off the taxi in Anchorhead.  She had returned to the site where the Seed was buried in order to fetch the borrowed speeder, which she had left behind in the dirt. Realizing she was so close, she tried the scanning droid and see if the Seed was nearby. Luck was with her and she found the Seed near the entrance to the area after only a few scans.

    Kira met her at the spaceport.  She gave her a lecture when Tali handed her the Seed container, but even Tali could tell that Kira was relieved that their task here was done.  She sent Kira back to the ship and went next to the med center.

    She had barely entered the building when a medic ran to greet her.

    “Master Jedi!  Thank goodness you are here!  We’re not equipped to deal with this kind of emergency.”

    Tali felt her heart sink.  “Why?  What’s wrong?”

    The medic’s eyes were as round as moons.  “The Sith you brought in has gone crazy!”


	14. Chapter 14

The subdued voices nearby meant he was no longer out on the sands of Tatooine.  He was inside a building, someplace quiet with the sound of faint bubbling nearby.  Not a spaceship then, Scourge thought, but somewhere on the ground, with a kolto tank in the room.  Something tight and bulky was stretched across his face and his eyes.  A blindfold?  A mask?

That’s when he realized that his arms were tied down, and not just at the wrists.  There was a second band secured around his upper arms as well.  Wherever he was, he was a prisoner among enemies.

Someone had taken advantage of his weakened state.  No one detained a Sith lord, and least of all the former Emperor’s Wrath.  Scourge reached out with his mind, but did not feel the presence of any Force users.  It was time then to show these fools their error.

Scourge clenched his fists and yanked on the restraints.  He heard the sound of fabric tearing and strained harder.  The feeling of confinement only drove him into a frenzy, and at last he felt the stuffing in the thin mattress give way as the bolts came free with a clang.  He leapt from the cot.  There was a tugging on his face and he realized that he was connected to something via a tube that stretched across the bed.  He yanked at the mask, tearing off first that and then the blindfold.

Pain stabbed at his eyes, and his hand flew reflexively to his face to rub them, which only made the pain worse.  He breathed in sharply and felt his chest seize up as he hacked and gasped for air.  Finally, his breathing calmed and he forced his eyes open to look around.

All he could make out were blurred shapes of varying colors.  He blinked repeatedly but that did nothing to wash the grit from his eyes.  What had happened to him?

Someone was coming.  Scourge reached for his lightsaber but it wasn’t there.

He hadn’t felt this vulnerable in a long time.  He looked around, trying to gauge the dimensions of the room and what was in it, but the more he strained to see, the more his vision swam.  To his left was a glowing blue light.  The kolto tank.  Ahead, there was a dark vertical patch which had to be an open doorway.  Scourge felt the presence getting closer.

A person entered into the room, dressed in white.

“You can’t keep me here,” Scourge said.  The figure jerked, clearly startled, and Scourge felt the accompanying spike of fear.  The figure began fumbling for something on his body.

“Where is my lightsaber?” Scourge demanded.  “Bring it here.”

Instead of compliance however, the figure drew an object towards his mouth and began shouting orders to some unseen comrades.

“I need help in here!  The prisoner is loose!”

“I am no one’s prisoner!”  Scourge lunged forward and drew back his arm to knock the man aside.  There was a flurry of movement in front of him, and the man thrust something squat and mobile into Scourge’s path.  The object rolled towards him, a small cart by the sound of it, and Scourge moved to push it out of his way.  Instead, he misjudged the true shape and depth of the cart, and slammed his knee into it instead.  He pitched forward, arms outstretched, and crashed headlong across the cart’s uppermost tray, propelling it back in the opposite direction.  Scourge flew forward, his feet sliding away from underneath him.  The cart toppled over with him still clinging to it, pelting him with bottles and other instruments as both he and the cart crashed to the floor.

There was a commotion from the hallway, voices yelling and more footsteps rapidly approaching.  Scourge drew himself upright again, slipping briefly on some cylindrical vials underneath his feet before regaining his balance.  For a moment he was disoriented, but then he caught a flutter of motion nearby.  The white-coated man was suddenly next to him, and Scourge felt a sharp pinch in his thigh.  A needle.

He drew back his arm and swung wildly, catching the man square across the middle.  The man was flung through the air, his momentum finally halted when he slammed into the kolto tank behind him.  There was a loud crack, and the tank rent open with a hiss, spraying liquid kolto far across the room.  That was followed by a second sound, a rapid snapping, and then the kolto tank burst outward like a wave.

A splattering of kolto caught Scourge across the face, and he jerked away, wiping the mess from his eyes. Voices of alarm and dismay reached his ears from the hallway, and a flicker in the Force told him that more bodies were coming.  Scourge thrust out his hands, propelling a shock of Force energy outward in all directions.  Objects crashed, a scream pierced the air, and Scourge stumbled forward into what he hoped was a clear opening for him to escape.

Instead, he broke from the room only to barrel directly into a crowd of onlookers.  Grabbing the first body he could sense nearby, he picked up the interloper by a scruff of clothing and flung the shrieking body away from him.

“Give back my weapon!” he bellowed.  Scourge doubled over before he could say more, wracked by a violent fit of coughing.  He wheezed, gasping for breath, alarmed at the burning sensation which radiated from his chest.  No doubt his lungs were full of dust.  No time to worry about that at the moment.  The sedation dart was making his head fuzzy and his muscles heavy.  Blundering forward, he knocked into a counter, bounced off, almost lost his balance, and then pressed ahead.  Where was the exit?  The people around him were retreating, leaving an open path ahead of him.  There was a sharp yell to his right.

“Shoot him again!  Now, quick!” a voice cried.

Scourge reached out toward the voice, using the Force, and silenced it with a clench of his fist.  It was too late, though, and he felt the prick of another needle lodge into his upper arm.  He swatted it away, and heard the tinkle of a dart dropping to the ground.  The room was already blurred almost beyond recognition, but now it began to sway as well.  Scourge used every bit of effort he could muster to remain conscious.  He had to get out of here.  He couldn’t let them capture him again.  Who knew where he might wake up next time?

He careened down the hallway, running his hand along the wall to keep his balance.  For once nothing impeded his path, and so he picked up the pace.  He felt another dart pierce the back of his thigh.  He ignored it, working his legs into a steady pumping rhythm.  Then the floor broke open in front of him.

Scourge tumbled, face first, down a long set of stairs, finally crashing in a heap at the bottom.  For a moment, he couldn’t determine which way was up.  His head was swimming and a ringing had taken up in his ears.  He was rapidly losing consciousness.  He struggled to his feet and started to run down the hallway again, but the walls knocked into him, and the floor kept lurching under his feet.  He slumped against the wall, pressing onward, more out of conviction now than any real hope of escape.  Why was he running again?  The sense of urgency was still there, but he couldn’t recall his plan.

Behind him, sounding faint and far away, he heard his name being called.  Then a hand grabbed his arm and a face rippled before his eyes.

He said something, something important, something he needed to do...and then he fell forward, finally losing consciousness.

00o00

Tali stared at the medic, wondering what could have gone so wrong in just two hours.

“The Sith was completely out of control,” the medic said.  “He destroyed a whole room, blew open a cabinet full of stimpacks and blasted a kolto tank to pieces!   Doc Lewel is getting stitched up now in the other room.”

Tali followed the medic as he hurried down the hallway.  “I don’t understand,” she said.  “What happened?”

“The Sith was unconscious when he arrived, so we got to tending his injuries, but then he woke up and just went into a rage, demanding we give back his lightsaber, and he broke right through the restraints like they were nothing!  We tried to subdue him, but he was thrashing about and throwing stuff around just by waving his hands. I can only imagine how much worse it would have been if he had been able to see!  Then he-”

“Wait!”  Tali stopped and grabbed the medic’s arm.  “Hold up a moment.  You _restrained_ him?  You took away his lightsaber and treated him like a common criminal?”

The medic blinked at her.  “Master Jedi, we don’t have proper cells here.  Restraints are the best we can do to keep a prisoner contained.”

Tali groaned.  “He’s not my prisoner.  He‘s working for the Jedi.”

“Oh.”  The medic colored.  “I’m so sorry, we didn’t...he was a Sith and we-”

“Nevermind that.  Did you also say that Scourge _couldn’t_ _see_?”

“He has kolto drops in his eyes to accelerate healing, and a bandage over them reduce eye strain.  It’s temporary, Master Jedi.  I’m more concerned about the dust in his lungs actually.”

From further inside the building there came a loud crash.  The medic jumped and glanced at Tali.

“You need to help us, Master Jedi!  He’s wrecking the whole place even now.”

“Lead on then.”

The medic straightened his shoulders and appeared to be preparing his courage before turning to Tali and gesturing for her to follow.  Tali soon saw evidence of the altercation which had recently taken place.  Shards were strewn across the floor from the blasted kolto tank, spreading out from a nearby doorway and reaching all the way down the hallway to where Tali was approaching.  The floor underfoot was slick with liquid kolto.  She peered into the room as they passed and spotted the kolto tank itself with one side completely shattered, an overturned cot, and a leaning cabinet whose fall forward had been stopped by a nearby table.  Its doors were flung open and items had spilled out around it.  Had Scourge really done all this?

From inside another room, Tali caught the brief sight of a man sitting on a cot holding a bandage to his head.  From further down the hallway came the sound of another crash.  The medic paused at the end of the hallway.

“Just around this corner, Jedi.  If you keep going…”  He held out his hand for her to proceed ahead of him.

At the hallway’s end, Tali found a stairwell leading down with a small group of people hovered around it.  A woman turned when Tali came near.

“He won’t get far now.  Not with three darts in him.”

“What did you give him?”  Tali tried to remember that these people were afraid and acting defensively, but she couldn’t help but feel annoyed.  She had sent Scourge here to be cared for, expecting that he would get the same consideration as a Jedi, but instead they had treated him like a monster to be contained.

“Sedatives, that’s all,” the woman answered.

“No more, please.  Just...from now on, let me handle this, ok?”

The woman frowned.  “Of course Master Jedi.”

Tali hurried down the stairs.  She saw nothing when she got to the bottom but a long nondescript corridor that went a ways before turning again.  It wasn’t until she rounded this final corner that she spotted Scourge.

His shoulder was dragging against the side of the wall, but still he was lumbering forward, or trying to anyway.  He pushed off from the wall, attempting to straighten himself, but he stumbled instead and hit the opposite wall.  Tali ran after him and called his name.

She caught up to him just as he was sinking to the floor.  His armor had been removed and he was dressed in whatever had had underneath, which consisted of a simple undershirt and shorts.  His face and hands were scratched raw and his eyes looked painfully bloodshot.  He was staring ahead blankly.

Tali dropped to her knees in front of him.  “Scourge, it’s me.”

“Tali…” his voice was hoarse and wheezy.  “Imbeciles...need my weapon...got to...can’t anymore…”  His words dissolved into a slurred jumble.  Tali could just make out his last words as he threw out a hand and pitched forward towards her.  “Need...help…”

Then he slammed into her and she was knocked backwards.


	15. Chapter 15

Tali sat in the med center, trying not to nod off to sleep.  She had been up all day and now half the night as well.  The staff here had pumped Scourge full of so many sedatives that he had been unconscious for hours.  She glanced over at the cot next to her.  Scourge easily filled the entire bed, his heels pushing out over the bottom edge and his arms barely fitting along the sides.  He was breathing evenly and slow, and the blindfold had been restored across his eyes.  Tali had instructed the medics here to treat Scourge with dignity, and so they had redressed him and given him the private use of this room.  After that, the staff had avoided both her and Scourge.  Tali knew they were feeling cautious after the earlier incident.

From what she had deduced from talking to the medics here, Scourge hadn’t “gone crazy” at all.  The evidence pointed to him simply trying to escape, while pushing aside anything - and anyone - who got in his way.   _This is all my fault_ , Tali thought.  She should have followed up with the med center after sending Scourge to them, should have given explicit instructions as to who he was and how he should be treated.  She thought of her discussion with Scourge that night on Corellia, how he had told her that he would always be looked on with suspicion here in the Republic, that he would never fit in.  They would have to take steps to make sure something like this did not happen again.

A memory surfaced in Tali’s mind then, of her first days at the Jedi Academy.  It had taken her some time before she had felt like she belonged.  She had been self-conscious of her accent, which marked her as a denizen of the lower levels of Coruscant.  In order to catch up on her lack of a proper education, she had been placed in classes with children much younger than herself.  She had balked against the rigid schedule imposed upon her and had been sent to “extra meditation time” more often than she could count.  But in reality, the adjustments she had had to make to fit in were small.  At the Academy, all the students were treated as equals, regardless of their species, or background, or family.  And there had been plenty of other Twi’leks there, many of them full-fledged Jedi that she could look up to as role models.  The system at the Academy was designed to assimilate her and welcome her.  It was an insular society with clearly defined rules and expectations.

Tali glanced at Scourge lying still on the cot.  The culture of the Republic had no parameters in place for accepting Sith.  His incorporation into Republic society was going to be a slow and painful process, if it even happened at all.

The old Scourge, Tali thought, would have been unaffected by incidents like today’s.  Tali had always seen Scourge as stoic and uncaring, but she realized now that he did care, very much.  He cared enough to be insulted by the way he had been treated, to try and leave by any means necessary, and to be fearful of his vulnerable state.  Tali had been worried at first, when the medic had shown her the destruction throughout the med center, that the Seed might have had something to do with Scourge’s outburst.  But the Seed was not the culprit, she realized.  Scourge had simply acted the way anyone would when trapped in enemy territory: alarmed.

_I don’t know who Scourge is anymore,_ Tali realized _._  She would have to get to know him all over again.

She picked up her datapad and began to peruse the patient instructions the medics had given her.  One of Scourge’s diagnoses was listed as some long unpronounceable word that began with “k.”  Being exposed to the scouring sands had injured Scourge’s skin, eyes and lungs.  “ _The kolto-based eye drops are more viscous than the eye’s natural lubricant,”_ Tali read, “ _and may cause blurry vision when used in large doses_.   _This is normal,_ _and when you are discharged you will be given smaller doses to take at home, and the blurriness should pass.”_  Tali was relieved to read that Scourge’s eyes themselves weren’t damaged.

Scourge had been supplied with an inhaler as well, which he was instructed to use three times a day, and he was advised to avoid strenuous activities which could cause him to become out of breath.  Tali snorted at that.  How was anyone supposed to keep Scourge cooped up and inactive?  His lungs would take longer to heal.  Weeks at least.  Possibly months.  This was not going to be easy.

Tali closed her eyes and rested her head against the back of the chair.  A little doze for herself would be welcome right about now.  Her whole body felt heavy and exhausted.

She was awoken sometime later by the feeling of being lifted off the chair.

“You will bring me-”

“Scourge!” Tali cried.  He was holding her suspended in the air by the collar of her robe, with her feet dangling nearly a meter off the ground.

Abruptly he let go and jerked backwards, and Tali dropped to the ground, letting out an “oof” as she fell to her feet.

“Tali!” he sounded even more startled than she was.  “I’m...I’m sorry.  I should have known.  I-”

“It’s ok,” Tali said, laying a hand on his arm.  She had never seen Scourge look so uncertain and off-kilter.  She recalled what the medic had said about Scourge waking up and demanding his weapon.  “I’ve got your lightsaber right here.”  She tugged his arm towards her and carefully placed the weapon in the palm of his hand.

“Good.”  Scourge sounded openly relieved.  He hooked it to his belt.  “I want to leave this place.”

“We can leave right now.  You’re not a prisoner here.  That was a misunderstanding.  Are you feeling steady enough to walk?”

“Yes.” Then he added, “well, perhaps after a moment.”  He slumped onto the cot and tried to rub his eyes through the blindfold.

“You shouldn’t do that,” Tali said.  “Doc Lewel said-”

           “Fine.”  Scourge’s face snapped in her direction, his forehead creased in a scowl.  He sighed and gripped the edge of the bed.

This was hard on him, especially for a man who was brought up in a culture where anything that inhibited his prowess was a weakness.  Scourge had his hands in his lap and was fidgeting, as if he didn’t know what to do with them.

“Tali,” he said, his voice subdued. “I can’t see.  Even without the blindfold.”

“I know.”  She came and perched on the edge of the cot next to him.  His weight sloped the mattress inward so that she had to lean in the opposite direction to keep from tipping over and knocking into him.  “It’s temporary.”

He frowned.  “I’m no Miraluka.”

Tali watched his big hands curling in on themselves and had the urge to cover one of them in her own.  She wasn’t sure how he would react though.

“It’s just the kolto drops.  It’ll wear off soon.” Tali paused. “I’ll go get you discharged.”  She left him alone.

She returned a short time later, and found Scourge standing up, looking restless and perturbed.

“What time is it?  Are we far from the spaceport?”

“We are practically right next to it,” Tali said.  “And it’s the middle of night.”  A good time, Tali thought, for their trek across the spaceport to the hangar.  She had the feeling that Scourge would want as few people as possible to see him in this state.

“Put your hand on my shoulder,” Tali said.  “You ready?”

Scourge nodded and reached in her general direction.  Tali took his hand and placed it where it needed to be.  Then they passed out into the cool night air.  Without the light of Tatooine’s suns, it was surprisingly chilly.  The sky was vast and dark, and the streets of Anchorhead were quiet.  Tali led Scourge up the steps and into the spaceport, calling out stairs and other obstacles as they walked.  Scourge was lit like a buzzing wire, his apprehension and discomfort spilling off of him and creeping uneasily into the back of Tali’s mind.  When they got back to the ship, Tali led him down the stairs and into his room.  She began to lay out the medical supplies she had been given, while Scourge found a place to sit 

“I didn’t disobey your order,” he said suddenly. “Not intentionally anyway.”

Tali sensed that this point was important to him, and she waited for him to continue.  It was, of course, the question she had been asking herself all day long as well.  What exactly had happened out there while Scourge was alone in the desert?

“It looked like you reached the Seed.  I found you close to its location.”

“You’re the one who found me?”

Apparently, he didn’t recall her bringing him out of the sands.  “I went looking for you as soon as I could,” she said.  “I tried to get to you before the storm but I had to turn back. I was really worried.”

Scourge looked up in her direction.  “You were out in the storm because of me?  You shouldn’t have risked yourself like that.”

“We are a team, Scourge.  Everyone on this crew.  That’s what we do for each other.”

She expected him to give her another one of his lectures about how she had a greater purpose in this galaxy, but instead he returned to discussing the Seed.

“The Seed has some form of rudimentary intelligence.  It lured me there, clouding my mind.  Then, the pain struck me like before.”

Tali recalled the disturbing way the Seed had felt like it wanted to latch onto her when she had reached out for it through the Force.  “I think I know what you mean.  I felt the pull of the Seed too.  It only had me for a second though before I broke away.”

“I woke up just as the storm was arriving.  I had enough time to try and find some cover and do what I could to protect myself, but then I was overtaken by the storm.”

“I believe you, Scourge.  We have to find out why the Seed is affecting you differently than the rest of us.”

“I think the Seed’s hold on me is biological.  I think the Seed...interacts with me somehow.”

“How do you know?”

“We were both created by a melding of Sith power and technology.  The pain the Seed brings is like a buzzing throughout my entire body.”

“Maybe we can fix-”

“I don’t think this can be fixed,” Scourge interrupted.

“Why not?  That’s what you originally said about the Emperor’s curse remember.”

“It will not be so simple this time.”

Tali was quiet, seeing that now was not the moment for solving this.  She decided she would drop the matter for now.  “I’m sorry about what happened to you in the med center.  They mistook you for my prisoner.  I never should have allowed that to happen.”

Scourge said nothing for a moment, but Tali sensed a building apprehension within him.  His face was turned towards the floor.  “Did I hurt anyone?”

“Only minor injuries.”   _Although that kolto tank won’t be cheap to replace,_ she thought.  She wondered how she would explain that one to the Order.

He nodded.  Did he actually look relieved?  “Good,” he said quietly.

“Well,” Tali said.  “I need to get some sleep.”  She smiled at him and then quickly realized that he couldn’t see it anyway.  She headed for the door.

“Thank you,” Scourge said.  “For coming to find me.”  Then he muttered, “even if you shouldn’t have.”

 “I would have done it for any of you,” Tali said 

 

00o00

Tali saw little of Scourge throughout the following week.  Most of the time, he stayed by himself in his room.  Once, she passed by his doorway and spotted him doing pushups, but within minutes he was coughing so hard that he had to stop.  Tali decided that it was best to stay out of his way for now.  She and the crew were occupied anyway by preparing for their next mission on Hoth, which required a considerable supply of food and cold weather gear.  Rather than impose upon the strict ration supply allowed by the Republic military, Tali made sure that they arrived with everything they would need to support themselves during their stay.  She was in the midst of checking over a crate of powdered soup mix when she felt Scourge approaching.  She turned, and had to work to hide her sudden surprise.

Scourge was wearing a set of Jedi robes.  The last time Tali had seen those robes was when she had handed them to Scourge months ago.  He had casually tossed them aside and told her that the Council had wasted their time having them made for him.  She had not expected to see the robes again.

But now, Tali saw a strange, unlikely vision of what Scourge might have become if he had been born in a Republic world.  He filled the doorway, his broad frame draped in the soft brown robes that were the hallmark of the Jedi Order.  His face was partly hidden inside the wide hood, but Tali could just see the outline of his jaw as he turned his head and raised his arm to test the length of one of the sleeves.  He drew back the edge of the robe from his hip and touched the hilt of his lightsaber, repeating the motion a few times until he seemed satisfied.

As a child, Tali had dreamed of being rescued by a Jedi.  Only later, as she had grown in confidence and hope, had she dreamed of becoming one herself.  In Tali’s imagination, the Jedi that came to whisk her away from the slums of Coruscant had always been larger than life, with polished armor underneath his robes and a face that was both noble and stern.  He would catch her up in his arms and stride through the dark streets, his lightsaber glowing like a captured star.  He was everything the Jedi were said to be.  Protector.  Warrior.  Savior.

Reality had tempered Tali’s childhood dreams, but that memory still inspired her dedication and purpose today.  For a moment, however, Tali was transported back to her childhood self, and her heart tumbled uncertainly inside her.  So maybe her childhood fantasy hadn’t included a Sith wearing Jedi robes.  But Tali had no trouble substituting Scourge into that vision now.

Scourge reached up and drew back the cowl that shadowed his face, and the semblance between Tali’s dream and reality was broken.  He fixed her with a red-eyed stare, the sharp ridges and bony protrusions on his face looking harsh and forbidding against his blood-red skin.  Through a gap in his robes Tali could just spy the sleek black armor he usually wore.  Even dressed as a Jedi, the dark side still clung to him like a miasma of gloom.  He was a Sith and could be nothing else.

Scourge held out his hands in a questioning gesture.  “So?”

“They…uh…”  Tali tried to clear her thoughts and focus.  “They fit you well.”

“It’s an illusion to placate the masses only.”

_An illusion_ , Tali thought.   _I know._ “It will help,” she said instead.

“Yes, although ‘Scourge’ isn’t exactly an acceptable name for a Jedi.”

“You know,” Tali began cautiously, “....about that.  I actually have something for you.  I’ll be right back.”

Tali sprinted to her room.  What would he think of the additional item that she had had made for him? Her chest tightened with nerves but she plunged ahead.  Inside a drawer in her room was a small wallet with an identification card in it.  It was real enough to pass most scrutiny, and she had even secured the approval of the Jedi Council before having it made. Facing the bill for the new kolto tank on Tatooine had driven them to begrudgingly agree to anything that would ensure that such misunderstandings did not happen again.  All the card needed now was for Scourge to have his picture taken while wearing the Jedi robes, and to add a bioscan code to match.  

Tali went back out to where Scourge was waiting.  “This will go nicely with those robes,” she said.  She held out the ID card.

She studied the look on his face while he examined it, waiting for any sign of displeasure.

“So,” Scourge said.  “I’m a ‘Master Sanson’ now.”

“Only to anyone who asks,” Tali said quickly.  “It won’t hold up if someone decides to really dig, but that’s not what it’s for after all.”

Scourge nodded.  “It will suit my needs.”

Tali decided that that was probably the most enthusiastic endorsement she was ever going to get from him.  “Great!”  She would count that as a success.

Scourge wandered away and Tali began sorting through the supply boxes again, but she found her mind wandering.  The Council had agreed to pay for the kolto tank, and had allowed Scourge to borrow a made-up Jedi identity.  How much did they really know about what had happened?  Getting the Council’s help had been, well, just a bit _too_ easy.  She had sent in the request for a reimbursement for the kolto tank along with a brief note suggesting the creation of an identity card, and had received a terse, but affirmative, reply in return.  Tali had the feeling that the repercussions from the incident with the kolto tank were not over.  Maybe if she could downplay the emotional nature of Scourge’s reaction, and focus on the obvious error the med center staff had made, she could deflect any concerns they might have.

She wondered how long it would take before she would hear from the Council again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So, according to the illustrious source of knowledge that is wikipedia, it is possible to damage your eyes by being exposed to a sand storm. It's called "keratoconjunctivitis sicca" which basically means "dry eyes." The danger of suffocating by getting dust in your lungs is far more severe however (and probably more likely.) I also watched some very cool videos of sand storms in action. Research has its perks. ;-)
> 
> A few months ago, I also did some other "research." I decided to read the TOR novel "Revan." I was expecting Scourge to be a pure villain in the story, portrayed as basically evil and with few redeemable qualities. Instead I was surprised to find that he was a very sympathetic character. The younger version of Scourge is eager, inexperienced, and even idealistic. It was interesting to see what his personality was like before he became so jaded. Honestly, I like him better than Revan. (And I'm not biased, I swear, ha ha.) If you haven't checked out the novel yet, give it a try. If you are looking for a character filled with unadulterated evil, read "Deceived," the novel about Darth Malgus. He is dreadful and fascinating. But not sexy like Scourge. Sorry, Malgus.


	16. Chapter 16

Tali didn’t have to wait long for an answer to her question.  She heard from the Council the very next day.

“Tali?”  Kira poked her head through the doorway of Tali’s room. “Master Kiwiiks is on the holo for you.”

“She wants to talk to me?  She didn’t call for you?”  Master Kiwiiks had originally been Kira’s master when Kira was a Padawan.  She didn’t normally call to speak with Tali.

“Nope.  She asked for you.”

Tali started to walk out the door towards the ship’s main holoterminal, but Kira stopped her.  “She asked if you could take the call on your private comm.”

Kira slipped away, closing the door behind her, and Tali nervously opened the frequency on her portable holocomm.

“Tal’ilavi.”  Master Kiwiiks nodded to her.

If she was addressing her by her full name, this probably wasn’t a social call.  Tali tried her best to greet her with a confident smile.  “Hello Master Kiwiiks.”

    “I just wanted to let you know that we sent the funds to that med center in Anchorhead this morning.”

    “Thanks.  I appreciate it, and I’m sure they do too.”

    “The kolto tank needed to be completely replaced.”

    “Yeah,” Tali said slowly.  “I know.”

    “I heard you had a bit of trouble on Corellia with the Green Jedi as well.”

    “Trouble?”   _How did they find out about that?_ Tali thought.  “Well, you know they have never been too friendly with the rest of the Order.  They kind of resented my presence I think.”

    “Mmm,” Master Kiwiiks said.  “I heard it had something to do with Lord Scourge.”

    “Oh.  Well, they weren’t thrilled with him being there either.”

    Master Kiwiiks said nothing for a moment.  Tali tried her best not to squirm under her gaze, which was piercing and direct, even through the grainy holo image.

    “Tali,” Master Kiwiiks said finally, “has something changed with Scourge?  He seems a bit more...volatile lately.”

    Tali’s heart did a little flip in her chest.  It was only too obvious that Scourge’s behavior had been unreliable, and given her visit to the Council on Scourge’s behalf, Tali knew she couldn’t lie.  She only hoped the Council would understand.

    “I freed Scourge from the Emperor’s curse,” she said.

    “You did this by yourself?”

    “Well, Scourge and I...we combined our efforts and amplified our skills with one of the power crystals on Tython.”

    “I see.”  Master Kiwiiks’s tone was noncommittal.  Tali saw an opening and jumped through it.

    “I know you said the Council would not help me, but you never forbid me to try myself.  I couldn’t let him live under the Emperor’s hold.  How could I, after what I saw Kira go through?”

    “Kira had renounced the dark side and is a Jedi.”  Master Kiwiiks sighed and held up a hand before Tali could interject.  “I know your intentions were pure.  It’s just that…” she paused.  “The Council wonders if you can control what you have unleashed.  And it doesn’t look like Scourge can control himself either.”

    “I don’t know what the medics on Tatooine told you, but it’s not like Scourge went on some wild rampage.  They tied him up like a prisoner.  He just tried to escape.  He was injured and upset and-”

    “You feel sympathy for him,” Master Kiwiiks interjected quietly.

    Tali’s momentum faltered.  “Is that so wrong?”

    “A Jedi would never have had an outburst like the one Scourge had.”

    “You are being unfair.  A Jedi isn’t your average person.”

    “Neither is a Sith.”

    Tali let out an exasperated sigh.  The Council was determined to see what they wanted to see.  “Isn’t it the Jedi way to show compassion?  And...and patience?  Scourge’s help has been sincere.  He has no plans to return to the Empire.  He’s suffering from a bit of...of culture shock.  These things take time.”

    Master Kiwiiks’s shoulders shrugged in a silent sigh.  “Very well.  I’ve given you the Council’s concerns.  Now, I just want to know-”

    Her words were drowned out by a commotion outside Tali’s door.  There was a rumble  that sounded like Scourge speaking, followed by Kira’s raised voice crying out, “Yes, you _were_!”

    “Master Kiwiiks, if you’ll excuse me.  I need to go.”

    Tali got off the call as graciously as she could, concerned about whatever argument was brewing outside her door, but also relieved for the distraction.

    She slid open the door.  “What’s going on?”

    Kira pointed an accusing finger at Scourge, who was standing next to her with his arms crossed.

    “I caught him listening at your door.”

    “I wasn’t standing at the door to _listen_ ,” Scourge insisted.

    “Oh give me a break.  You stopped there specifically to-”

    “Ok, that’s enough,” Tali said.

    Kira let out a huff and looked to Tali with pleading eyes.  Tali glanced at Scourge, who raised an eyebrow at her, saying nothing.

    “Kira, I’ll handle this.”

    Kira frowned and left.  Tali turned back to Scourge.

    “So...what were you doing outside my door?”

    “I was walking by.  Kira thought I was walking too slowly.”

    “I see.”  Tali sighed.  She appreciated Kira looking out for her but she really wasn’t in the mood to referee an argument.  Knowing Kira’s feelings towards Scourge, Tali couldn’t be sure which version of events was the most accurate.  “Fine.  Just, in the future, don’t hover outside my door.”  She waved Scourge away and touched the panel to close the door.  She had more important things to think about right now.  Like how she had handled the conversation with Master Kiwiiks.

A sudden thunk came from behind her and Tali turned to see Scourge’s foot blocking the door from sliding shut.

    “I’d like to speak with you,” he said from the other side.  Tali approached and peered through the crack.  Scourge’s face was there, looking back at her, uncomfortably close.  “Please.”  His last word came out more like a muttered growl.

    Tali opened the door and let Scourge step inside.  He came into the room and she closed the door behind him.  When she turned around he was looking at her.

    “Your Council still fears me, I see.”

    “So you _were_ listening!”

    “I wasn’t listening.  I overheard.”

    “Whatever.”  Tali sighed.

    Scourge glanced around the room, his eyes roving to her bed, passing over to the meditation rug in the corner, and then back to her again.  Tali realized that the last time he had been in her bedroom was when he had delivered soup to her when she was sick.  That was before the curse had been broken.

“You were defending me,” Scourge said, “to your Council.”

    Tali shrugged.  “You sound surprised.”

    “They don’t want me staying with you long term.  They will try to stop it.  Already they grow suspicious.”

    “Suspicious of what exactly?”   _How much had Scourge overheard?_

    “They fear that you are becoming ‘attached.’  You have shown me too much kindness for their liking.”

    In spite of her best efforts to reign in her feelings, Tali felt her face heating up and knew she was turning a deep green.  Why did Scourge’s words make her feel so uncomfortable?  “I don’t get where you are going with this.  Besides,” she added, “it is your emotions the Council fears, not mine.”

    “No,” Scourge said, his voice quiet and low.  “I think not.”

    Tali thought of the way Master Kiwiiks had called attention to Tali’s defence of Scourge.  Tali did feel sympathy for him, and she felt partly responsible for what had happened.  Wouldn’t she have done the same for any of her crew?  The Council still saw Scourge’s presence on her ship as a temporary thing, Tali realized.  The very fact that Tali already thought of him as a permanent crew member said much about her feelings towards Scourge.

    What _were_ her feelings towards Scourge anyway?

    Scourge spoke up again, breaking into her thoughts.  “The Council will try to dissuade you from letting me stay.  What will you do when that happens?”

    Tali looked up into Scourge’s bright stare.  She had explicitly told Scourge he was welcome on her crew, and now it seemed, he was testing her mettle.  “You think I will betray you to the Council?”

“They are adept at manipulating your guilt.”

“No,” Tali said.  “You misunderstand their intentions.  They are just trying to protect me-”

Scourge took a step forward, his voice taking on an edge.  “They don’t want you getting close to me because they know I could show you the very things they wish to hide from you.  My people have over a millenia of history steeped in dark side lore and power, but your Jedi wish to erase us from the galaxy as if we’d never been.”

“The Jedi don’t want to eliminate your people, we only want to bring peace to the galaxy.  What we want to eliminate is war and hate and oppression.  There is a difference, Scourge.”

Scourge’s eyes were alight with feeling now, and Tali could tell that he wasn’t ready to back down.  He held out his arm, underside up, his hand clenched in a fist. “If they could, they would leech the dark side from my very veins to cleanse me of my taint.”

_He fears losing himself_ , Tali realized.  She pitched her voice low and gentle.  “Jedi don’t do that. No one would try to forcibly change you.”

Scourge said nothing for a moment.  When he spoke again his voice was flat.  “There is much about your own Order that you are ignorant of.”

“What do you-”

“I want to know that you will not banish me, or turn me over to them.”

Banish him?  Did Scourge dread being alone?  Tali found this hard to comprehend.  Maybe being a part of her crew meant more to him that he had been letting on.

    “I would never betray you.”  Tali felt hurt that Scourge could think such a thing of her, even after months of working together side-by-side.  Then she remembered something that her Master, Orgus Din had once said.   _People are quick to see in others the very things they most fear in themselves._

“Would you be tempted to betray me, Scourge?  If our roles were reversed?”

Scourge raised his hands in a gesture of frustration.  “To whom?  I have no other loyalties anymore.”

He had only deflected the question, not answered it.  Tali tried again.  “We are allies, aren’t we?”

“Of course.”

“Then we must learn to trust each other.”

“Blind trust is foolish.”

“But we are not going into this blind.”

Scourge’s glanced at her from beneath his thorny eyebrows.  “What is ‘this’ that we are going into, Jedi?  Where is it that you want to go with me?”  He was standing closer now, Tali realized, although she had not noticed when he had closed the distance between them.

“I...I don’t understand what you mean.”  How is it that she had gone from reassuring Scourge to feeling like she were the one standing on uncertain ground?

He nodded, slowly, as if her response confirmed something he’d already suspected.  Then he stepped back, restoring the space between them once more.  Tali realized that a moment of intimacy had been broken before she had even realized it was there.  She reached out to Scourge through the Force, but it was like chasing a wave as it retreated back into the ocean, and whatever she had felt from him moments before was now lost.

“I pledged my service to you and I meant it,” Scourge said.  “I have watched you, and if you are going to be the one to remake this galaxy, then I want to be there to remake it with you.  I will always be Sith, but that does not mean that we can’t work together.”

    “I accept your service, Scourge, and I welcome it.  I think we’ve proven that we _can_ work together, in spite of our differences, as long as we share the same goals.”

    Scourge dipped his head in what could have been a minute bow.  “Good.  Then, that’s all.”

    Tali nodded and watched him leave.

00o00

    Scourge drifted back towards his bunk on the ship.  He was frustrated with the Jedi Council’s meddling, although perhaps he shouldn’t have been surprised.  Long ago, they had taken Revan and tried to turn him into a creature of their own making.  The Dark Council too attempted to control events behind the scenes with equal dedication.  And if his and Tali’s roles had been reversed, as Tali had suggested, what would have happened?  Could the Dark Council have pressured him to put Tali through some kind of forced conversion?  Would he have complied?

    When Tali and her Jedi strike force had been captured during their first, unsuccessful attack on the Emperor, her mind had been temporarily bound to the Emperor’s will.  Before she had escaped, Scourge had watched from the shadows as Tali had undergone a Sith acolyte’s training.  She had been nothing but a mindless drone then, obeying without question.  Being under such control again would stifle her natural passions, cutting her off from her true source of power.  The thought irritated him.  And made him angry.  No, he could not imagine turning her over to the Council under any circumstances.

    Tali’s dedication to the light was too strong for her to ever be turned completely, but if he could, somehow, bring her towards the dark side, he would do it through persuasion, not through coercion.  He could never betray her.

Even if her feelings for him were only unacknowledged glimpses and nothing more.

    Scourge felt a weight easing from his conscience.  Her question had bothered him, but now he felt at peace knowing his answer.

There was more on his mind that had not been willing to share in his conversation with Tali.  He’d been recovering from the sandstorm on Tatooine faster than expected.  According to the patient information pamphlet the med center had provided, he should still have weeks of recovery time left.  Instead, he felt almost back to normal.  His healing appeared to be proceeding at an accelerated rate nearly twice the typical speed.  That shouldn’t be happening.  It wasn’t as fast as it had been under the Emperor’s curse, but something was still wrong.

Their ritual had been incomplete somehow, some crucial element missing.  Or perhaps the physical part of his transformation could not be reversed.  He and Tali had accomplished the freeing of his mind, but it was not enough.  Was he still immortal?

Hopelessness suffocated him like a weight.  At least for a time, while he travelled with Tali, he could be a part of something worthy and share in her victories.  That gave him small comfort though, because eventually Tali would age, and once again he would be left to trek the galaxy alone and without purpose.  The thought of facing unending lifetimes of this meaningless wandering filled him with despair.

_What is wrong with me?_  Since when had he burdened himself with self-pity?  Disgust stole over him.  He had faced a solitary life for three hundred years; he could do so for three hundred more.  This was the fate he had chosen, and he would endure it.

Perhaps, in time, he would once again grow numb to such feelings.


	17. Chapter 17

    The icecat let out a final squeal of defiance before slumping to the snow at Scourge’s feet.  Scourge withdrew the blade of his lightsaber, and stood for a moment in the snow, breathing hard.  Testing his skills against the creatures of Hoth had returned some of his previous vigor.  Had he spent any longer cooped up on Tali’s ship he would have lost more of his edge.  Getting out felt good.

The chill, dry air stung Scourge’s lungs, and his breath steamed before his eyes.  For the first time Scourge noticed just how freezing it was.  He may not be mortal, but there was no doubt that he was no longer immune to the discomforts of the body.  He wondered exactly how long he had been gone.

    He looked around.  At some point he had passed the lip of the horizon, and now he could no longer spot the buildings of Aurek Base in the distance.  He turned a full circle, then looked up to try and determine some sense of direction.  The sky was gray and heavy, the thick layer of clouds diffusing the light and making it impossible to pinpoint the sun.  Scourge felt a sliver of worry edge into his mind.  He’d be damned before he needed rescuing again.

    He sunk to the ground and closed his eyes.  Such moments of quiet contemplation did not come naturally to him, but he’d be a fool to not use every tool at his disposal.  He reached out through the Force and tried to locate the nearest life source.  He found what he was looking for after only a few minutes, and was soon marching toward the horizon where he knew Aurek Base lay hidden.  He was confident in his assessment, but he still felt relieved when he spotted the dark line of the main barracks materialize at the edge of his sight.

    He had only gone a short ways when he realized that a tiny shape was moving towards him from the base.  He tested for a Force signature and knew immediately who it was.  It was Tali.

    After a minute or two he could hear the hum of the speeder’s approach, and then she pulled up in front of him, killing the engine.

    “Afraid I’d gotten lost?”

    She flipped up the visor of her helmet and her voice came out sounding thin and muffled.  “Well…I-”

    “Never mind,” said Scourge.  “Don’t answer that.”

    “You want a ride?”

    He raised an eyebrow at the speeder, which looked more like the skeletal remains of a dead creature, barely long enough to sit one person, let alone two.  “Is there room?”

    “Sure.  I can make room.”  Tali scooted forward on the seat and her blue eyes peered at him expectantly through the open visor 

    Scourge gingerly climbed aboard and the speeder sunk under his weight.  Tali revved the power to compensate and glanced over her shoulder at him.

    “Ready?”

    He twined his hands around her waist, wondering how close to her he could get before she found the contact uncomfortable.  He was inching forward, trying to fit the rest of himself on the tiny seat, when Tali opened the throttle.  The speeder whined, and then jerked forward in a sudden burst.  The seat flew out from under him and Scourge thudded to the ground.

    Tali skidded the speeder to a sudden stop and leapt off.

    “Oh!”  She yanked off her helmet and raced to where he was lying, staring face up at the sky.  “Scourge!  Are you hurt?”

    He felt a flash of annoyance -- hadn’t he told her he wouldn’t fit? -- but then the absurdity of the situation hit him, and his anger dissipated.

    He laughed instead.

    Tali’s face appeared above him, her eyes wide, but then she heard him laugh and she frowned, looking puzzled.

    “You only hurt my pride, little Jedi.”  He lurched to his feet and tugged off his face mask so she could see his half-formed grin.

    She blinked at him.  Then a smile spread across her face, and she laughed as well.  “Sorry about that.”  For a moment her eyes searched his, her smile remaining, and Scourge felt as if she were studying him, almost as if seeing him for the first time.

Then her face fell. “Scourge!  Look at you!”

Before Scourge could answer, Tali was standing before him, balanced on her toes, peering intently up at his face.  She yanked off her glove and her hand came up to stroke his cheek.   Her fingers trailed down one of his facial tendrils in a gesture that was surprisingly affectionate.

“You are frozen solid.  We need to get back to the base.  You’re getting frostbitten.”

    Scourge rubbed his chin and noticed that he could barely feel the motion.  Tali was already righting the speeder and hopping on.  He followed her and carefully climbed on behind her.  By the time he had pushed forward far enough so that he wasn’t hanging off the back of the seat, she was practically in his lap.

    “Close enough for you?” he said into her ear.

    She continued facing straight ahead, but Scourge saw her drop her gaze and smile.  “It’s fine, Scourge.”

    He locked his arms around her and was grateful for the heavy layers of clothing which separated them.  Otherwise, his body’s reaction to having her sitting so tightly between his legs would have been only too obvious.  The bike sped away across the snow and his heart picked up speed with it.  He knew he should abandon any notion that Tali would ever pursue a relationship with him, but the way she had looked at him had awoken his hopes just the same.  He only wished he could have felt her touch through his numb skin.

    Back at the base, they rode the elevator down into the bunker in silence, each standing a respectable distance apart.  Scourge glanced at Tali, but she appeared engaged in her own thoughts and did not seem to notice.  At the bottom, they separated and Scourge headed to the medbay.

    He did need medical attention for his face, and some of his toes as well.  Eventually, when he had enough of the fussing medical droid, he went into the base’s tiny cantina to take care of his growling stomach.  It was a strange sensation to not only feel hunger, but to also look forward to mealtime as an enjoyable experience.  Hoth wasn’t exactly known for its cuisine, however, and neither were Republic Military bases, so Scourge set his expectations low.  This cantina was cramped and understaffed, but clearly one of the most popular hang-outs at the base. Between the ovens and the warmth of so many bodies, the room was actually passably warm.  Scourge looked around for an empty seat and spotted Tali in a corner.  She was waving at him.  The seat across from her was empty.

    Scourge squeezed into the booth opposite her.  He had no sooner settled onto the bench when Tali popped up and shimmied out of the booth.

    “I’ll be right back.  My order is up.”

    She sidestepped through the chairs and chattering soldiers up to the order counter.  He squinted, trying to read the sign where the food choices were listed but couldn’t from this far away.  Just as he was starting to become impatient, she returned carrying a steaming crock of something that might be soup.

    “There’s only one thing worth ordering in this cantina, so I’d advise you to get this too.  You can try mine first if you want.”

    “What is it?”

    “It’s called ‘Number Three: Stew.’  They’re not very creative around here.  It’s just meat and vegetables.”

    The crock had a layer on top made of crust, which Tali broke through with her spoon, revealing a creamy, white gravy inside.  She took a bite and nodded.

    “Yeah, try this.”  She pushed the crock carefully across the table towards him.  “Be careful. It’s hot.”

    “I can handle some hot stew.”  He dug in.

    “You’re not used to people actually being nice to you, are you?” Tali had her hand in her chin and was watching him with interest.

    He shrugged.  “I’m not used to sharing banal pleasantries.”

    “Nothing wrong with being polite.  Or maybe, you know, I actually care whether you burn yourself.”

    He swallowed a second bite and pushed the stew back across the table towards her.  The stuff was actually kind of tasty.  “Do you now?”

    “Sure I do.”

    “Your concern has been noted.”

    She sat back on the bench and sighed.  “I’m trying really hard here.”

    “To do what?”

Her voice grew exasperated.  “To have a _normal_ conversation with you.  You know, one where we aren’t arguing.”

    He wondered what he had said that had set her off.  “Who said we were arguing?”

    She let out gruff moan, which he had to admit was strangely endearing.  “I give up!”

    Scourge chuckled.  “I like it when you growl.”  He worked his way out of the seat and noticed that he’d made her blush.  “I’m going to order some of that stew.”

    When he returned, Tali had her head down and was halfway through with her meal.  For a minute they ate in silence.

    Scourge glanced up at Tali a few times as he ate but she had her gaze buried in her stew and she refused to look up at him.  “You were right earlier,” he said, “about the way I am accustomed to being treated.”

She did look up at that, so he continued.  “Most people I met were either trying to flatter me or kill me. There was no such thing as kindness for kindness’s sake.  Such concern, coming from another Sith, was often just way of showing ridicule or derision.”

    “That sounds sad, Scourge,” Tali said.  “But surely even Sith must have other people in their lives that they care about, or even love.  Or do Sith think love is a weakness as well?”

    Scourge set down his spoon.  “Are you saying that you think I am incapable of love?”  Perhaps he should have been angry at this, but instead he felt an uncomfortable pressure in his chest, as if her words had pained him.  Did he really care what she thought of him?

    She looked away, and he felt her withdrawing into herself, perhaps out of embarrassment.  She did, he realized with dismay, think that of him.

    “Of course n-” she caught herself in the midst of voicing what surely would have been a lie.  “I don’t know, Scourge,” she said instead.

    “You think Sith cannot love, because you define love as a purely selfless act.  It is not.  Love is a give and take, where both parties benefit.  People are hedonists, and we Sith recognize that and do not try to hide it.”

 

    She shook her spoon at him.  “So, you are saying that Sith can only love someone when there is something in it for them?”

    “Pleasure is a powerful motivator.  It is, in fact, the foundation of all desires.”

    “Now you are just talking about lust.”

    “No, physical love is just one aspect.  Does a man not find joy in seeing his lover smile?”

    She held his gaze a moment before looking away.  “So, you are saying that love is not selfless when making someone else happy makes you happy as well?”

    He thought about that for a moment.  “Yes.”

    “What about doing something that you don’t like, just because you want to make someone else happy?  What about putting someone else’s needs above your own?”

    “If the benefit is greater than the cost, then yes it is worth it.”

    “You make love sound like a math equation, Scourge.”

    He shrugged.

    “So, you are saying that there is no such thing as altruism then.”

    “Altruism is a misnomer.  It is the appearance is selflessness only.”

    Tali was quiet for so long that Scourge thought the conversation had finished.  But then she pushed aside her bowl and sat back, watching him.  “Why did you decide to oppose the Emperor?”

    He glanced up at her. “I saw what he wanted to do to the galaxy.  I experienced it first-hand.  It was unnatural.  A horror.  I could not imagine a universe without life, without the Force.”

    “So, in other words, you opposed the Emperor’s selfishness.”

    _Ah,_ he thought, _so that is what she is getting at._  “You could put it that way, yes,” he said cautiously.

    “If you knew that you would you die before the Emperor’s plans came to fruition, would you still have opposed him?  It wouldn’t have affected you then.”

    Scourge knew what she was working towards with this one.  He decided to be honest.  “What he planned was beyond even the scope of my meager life.  It would have wiped out everything and everyone.  All Jedi, all Sith, all plants and even the insects.”  He could hear the passion entering his voice, and he let it flow.  “It would have left an incurable void.”  He had felt strongly about this once, strong enough that he had been forced into a terrible choice.  He was surprised at how easily the emotional conviction was returning to him even now.

    Tali was nodding attentively.  “You saved countless others at the expense of yourself.”

    “I acted as a traitor, not a hero.”

    She leaned forward.  “You helped me save the galaxy, Scourge.  You saved billions of lives, and you gave up your own mortality to do so.”

    She was giving him too much credit, and turning this into something far nobler than it really was.  “I was ignorant at the time of what I was giving up.  The cost was greater than I ever would have imagined.”

    Tali smiled at him, her eyes shining with something akin to triumph.  “Perhaps you don’t recognize it for what it is, but what you did took great sacrifice.  That is altruism, Scourge.  Your own words bear that out, even though you are trying to hide it behind excuses.”

    The Republic had treated him like a hero, but their praise had been begrudgingly given, and he had thought little of their honors and awards.  But Tali, he realized, truly believed that he was a hero.  Scourge felt strangely naked suddenly, as if a layer had been peeled away from him, revealing something that even he did not recognize.  She was wrong of course.  She had to be.

He realized that it didn’t matter to him if she were wrong or not.  A desire, primitive in its simplicity, had come over him.  He wanted to see her smile at him like that again.

She laughed then and shook her finger at him.  “Bad Sith.”  There was a gleam in her blue eyes that was playful.

    “Well,” he said, hearing himself chuckle, “there is a reason why the Sith disowned me.”

    She sat back and smiled.  “I enjoyed this conversation, Scourge.  I don’t always understand you, but I like to try.”

    He nodded.  “There is much we still could learn about each other.”

    “Yes,” she said.  “Perhaps there is.”


	18. Chapter 18

Tali stared out the viewport of her ship at the quiet, empty space station hangar. Master Gend, the Jedi who had been directing the Dread Seed operation, had acquired a significant lead which had brought them here, deep into enemy territory. This space station, called the Arcanum, was a major depository for the Emperor’s secrets, a place that had been kept so well hidden that even close servants like Scourge had not known of it.

She had been tracking a Lord Tagriss, a disciple of the Dread Masters. Lord Tagriss had originally stolen the Seeds of Rage from this place, and Tali feared what other destructive creations he now had access to. Why was he returning here? Was he retrieving even more Seeds? Or something even worse?

When Tali had last left Scourge, he had been pacing his quarters like a caged animal, frustrated that his handicap with the Seeds was keeping him from going with her on this mission. Instead, Kira stood beside her now, dressed and ready for whatever battles they might face.

Tali took a deep breath. “Let’s go in.”

The Arcanum may have looked like an average space station from the outside, but once beyond the main blast doors, Tali stopped in her tracks and caught her breath. The Arcanum was not divided into floors and hallways and rooms like a normal place would be. It was a vast, vertical cylinder of empty space, ringed by catwalks and filled with cranes and other mechanical apparatuses. These were designed to hoist and maneuver the giant crates that the Emperor had been using for storage. The center plunged downward into a depthless canyon, while far above, the lofty ceiling remained out of sight. In the middle, giant crates hung suspended in the air, some turned at crazy angles. Tali peered over the edge and saw a few more rickety looking catwalks snaking out from the sides of the storehouse and connecting to small platforms in the middle, which looked like docking and loading areas.

Beside her, Kira let out a low whistle. The sound of her whistle distorted and echoed around them, amplified into ringing tones that chased each other around in a gradually diminishing spiral. The echo died away, leaving behind a hollow whispering in Tali’s ears. Then, from far above, there came a lonely, keening wail, as if in answer to Kira’s whistle. It wavered and then died. The sound was too plaintive to be from a droid. It could only have come from something living, but it sounded like no creature Tali had ever encountered. Was else was the Emperor keeping here? 

“Creepy,” Kira said, pitching her voice more quietly this time. Tali nodded.

Another sound, a clanging, reached them from somewhere above. Tali looked upward and caught a blur of motion.

She glanced at Kira. “It’s Tagriss!” She broke into a run with Kira close behind.

 _Thank the Force I’m not afraid of heights_ , Tali thought. She jumped onto the nearest crate, which shuddered almost imperceptibly under her weight, and raced out into the middle of the storehouse. From there, she followed a haphazard path, climbing on boxes and clinging to cables, as she and Kira slowly worked their way upwards. She had no sooner stepped off onto the nearest platform when she heard the blare of droid alarms and realized they had triggered security.

Tali and Kira lost precious time dispatching the droids. She could only assume that Tagriss had continued his ascension, and hoped that she could still catch up with him. Tali paused to comm Tee-Seven, who she had left back on the ship.

“Any luck slicing into the security network?” she whispered into the comm. Tee-Seven beeped back that he was still working on it.

Their climbing only took them so far before it became apparent that they would have to jump to cross some of the gaps between crates and platforms. Tali was grateful that she had the Force to buoy her, but they still needed to backtrack several times as they searched for alternate routes that led upward.

They reached one of the loading platforms and paused to get their bearings. The platform was strewn with smaller crates, some of which had been stacked on top of one another. In the center was a tall pod-shaped case with a domed transparisteel front, connected to tubes and wires.

“What is that?” Kira said. She crept closer and tried to look through the domed window, but it appeared fogged with some sort of thick gas swirling inside. Tali peered over Kira’s shoulder and caught a glimpse of a clawed, three-fingered hand.

“A preserved specimen, looks like.”

There was an inhuman squeal behind them and Tali jumped, reaching instinctively for her lightsaber. One of the small crates was rocking. The sound seemed to set off the occupants in the other crates as well, until all of them were shaking.

“Tali, look!” Kira said. She had turned and was crouched in front of one of the small crates. “There are locking pins all over the floor. None of these crates are-”

One of the boxes burst open with a bang, and a white streak launched itself at Kira’s face.

“Rakghoul!” Kira screamed.

There was a series of popping sounds as each of the boxes sprung open and more rakghouls leapt out. For a moment, there was nothing but the hum of lightsabers and the distorted cries of wounded rakghouls. They were many, but they were also small and easily over powered. Tali wondered if they were young, immature rakghouls that had been bred here, but then a more horrifying thought occurred to her. Could they be transformed children?

She threw them off and cut them down, noticing out of the corner of her eye that Kira was doing the same.

After a few frenzied moments, the quiet returned and Kira and Tali found themselves standing among a pile of rakghoul bodies.

“Damn that Tagriss,” Kira muttered. Tali nodded to her. It was obvious that Tagriss had set them up by leaving the rakghoul containers unlocked.

“What’s that beeping noise?” Tali glanced behind her. A red light on top of the specimen pod was blinking. As Tali watched, the indicator light flickered at an increasingly faster pace, until it brightened into a steady glow. Next to her, Kira’s lightsaber came alive.

An alarm blared out from the pod and the door burst open.

A large rakghoul launched out of the swirling gasses with an unearthly scream, then flexed its claws and shook itself like an animal waking from sleep. Tali didn’t give it a chance to gain its bearings.

She leapt into the air and tore her lightsaber in a sweeping arc towards the creature’s neck, but it twisted its deformed head and swung out an arm, striking her across the torso and flinging her to the ground. Tali sprung to her feet and saw that Kira had engaged the creature as well. Tali had fought many rakghouls, but there was something feral and primitive about this one. Muscular legs supported it in a perpetual crouch, and its arms were bulky and short. It looked sickly and spent, with papery gray skin that was peeling along its scalp. An acrid smell clung to it, mostly likely from the chemicals which had kept it in stasis in the pod. The rakghoul flailed and twitched as if it didn’t quite have full control of its limbs yet, and as wounds opened up along its body, it bled a oozing black substance that looked like congealed blood. It lunged at Kira with a snarl, and Tali broke into the opening to thrust her lightsaber deep into the creature’s belly.

It howled and clutched at the air, nearly snatching up one of Tali’s lekku as she spun away. A choked scream drew Tali’s attention to the creature’s other hand and she saw with horror that it had Kira by the throat. The rakghoul raised its fist and roared, then flung her away. Kira flew through the air, her head flopping backwards, and there was a thud as she struck the open door of the pod. She stumbled, her eyes open but dazed, and clutched at the rim of the door in order to right herself. The door began to swing shut, and Kira fell back inside the pod.

“Kira!” Tali shot forward, propelled by the Force, but Kira was well inside the pod’s interior, the door pulling closed in her fingers. Tali grabbed for a handle, a knob, anything, but the door was a smooth, bare dome and there was nothing to hold onto. It latched with a delicate click, trapping Kira inside.

A searing burn raked across Tali’s back and she let out a holler of pain, knowing she’d been clawed by the rakghoul. She turned and lunged forward, and for a brief moment she found herself breathing in the foul stench from the creature’s slack-jawed mouth. Her lightsaber had pierced the rakghoul’s throat. Tali pulled it free and stepped aside as the rakghoul collapsed to the floor with a last, measly gurgle.

Tali turned back to the pod behind her, the rakghoul already forgotten, and pounded on the dome.

“Kira! Can you hear me?”

The pod was filling with a thick gas that curled about Kira like smoke, obscuring her face in featureless gray.

Tali threw her voice into a yell. “Kira!”

Inside the pod, Kira’s head slowly rose from her chest and she blinked at Tali. Her hands pressed against the glass and her mouth moved, but Tali couldn’t hear any words. Was the pod sound proof? Or had Kira lost her voice?

Tali realized that she could recognize a bit of what Kira was mouthing.

_Get Tagriss. Go now._

“I...I can’t leave you.”

Kira’s arms were falling away and her head began to slump against her chest. The stasis chamber was pulling her down into unconsciousness. It had been keyed to a rakghoul’s biology. Could a human survive in there?

Tali summoned Tee-Seven on her comm unit. “Forget the security system! You’ve got to unlatch this stasis pod! I’m in…” Tali glanced around for some identifying feature. “I’m on platform 98G.”

The little droid assured her that he had switched priorities, but that the slicing would take some time. Tali breathed deep and drew on her courage. She could face Tagriss alone.

“I’ll be back for you, Kira.”

00o00

Scourge pulled off his headphones and strained to recapture the sound that had just caught his attention. There it was again, and yes it was Tali’s voice. She sounded nasal and faint from over the comm, but there was no doubting the desperation and panic in her tone.

Scourge rose and left the ship, finding Tee-Seven at last outside in the hanger. The little droid was busy probing one of the Arcanum’s computers. He began wobbling excitedly on his rollers when he saw Scourge approaching.

“Kira = trapped in Patient Zero’s stasis chamber // T7 = to the rescue!”

Scourge glanced at the monitor read-out and saw at least seven of the Arcanum’s sectors blinking from security breaches. Tali was going to have to deal with an army of security droids, as well as Lord Tagriss. And now she was alone.

“You need to cut that security. Now.”

“Master Jedi = gave new orders for T7.”

“Get back to shutting down the security system.” They all knew the risks, Scourge thought. The mission couldn’t be compromised, even by such set-backs.

Tee-Seven was still bleeping and complaining, so Scourge glared at the droid and drew his light saber. Tee-Seven’s head twirled and he whistled in resignation. Scourge watched as the first of the security feeds turned from red to green.

“Good.” Scourge walked away.

It was bad enough that he couldn’t be there with Tali now, but the least he could do was help make her infiltration easier. Finding Lord Tagriss and the Seeds was top priority, and everyone on the crew knew that sacrifices sometimes had to be made. They could return for Kira later. The mission needed to come first. Even Tali knew that.

Scourge faltered when he reached the gang plank of the ship. The anguish in Tali’s voice over the comm still echoed in his head. He had not been able to hear her words, but her frantic tone and the hurried cadence of her speech said it all. She cared about Kira, and their bond was strong. He recalled how Tali had pulled him from the sands of Tatooine, or so she had told him. He had not been conscious to remember. He imagined the scene: her determined search, the effort she had employed to seek him out through the Force, her frenzied digging when found him. At the time, he had admonished her for showing such concern.

_We are team. That’s what we do for each other, she had said._

She had been counting on Tee-Seven to find a way to release Kira. Scourge reversed his direction and returned to where the droid was working.

“Where is Kira?”

“Padawan Kira = stuck on platform 98G.”

“Give me the space station map.” Scourge held out a datapad. Tee-Seven whistled and stuck out a probe, connecting with the device.

“Sith = going somewhere?”

“I’m going into the Arcanum,” he told the droid. “I need to free Kira from that chamber.”

00o00

It took Scourge a few false starts before he got a handle on the organization of the Arcanum’s storage area. Then, merely getting to the location of platform 98G proved a challenge. At one point, Scourge walked across the top of a huge crate, sidestepping a multitude of leathery tentacles strewn across his path. From the violence with which the metal had been torn open under his feet, it was obvious that whatever creature had been inside the crate was powerful and unfriendly. It appeared to be dead now, or so Scourge hoped.

Next Scourge came across a litter of dead rakghouls, most of them no bigger than a small pet, save for one, which was the size of a man. Scourge turned slowly, scanning the room for any living stragglers, but nothing here was breathing. Nothing that is, except for the being inside that stasis pod behind him. Scourge hurried over and pressed his forehead against the transparent dome. Through the swirling gasses, he could just make out a pale, slender arm. Kira.

He ran his hands over the smooth outline of the pod, but there was nothing here with which to disengage the lock - no control panel, no buttons, not even a handle. The pod must be operated remotely. Scourge tapped experimentally on the transparisteel, trying to gauge its thickness. A lightsaber might be able to penetrate the door, but with Kira inside, Scourge couldn’t be sure that he wouldn’t harm her by mistake. He splayed his fingers across the dome and closed his eyes. He imagined the chamber as his enemy: stubborn, defiant, willfully keeping him from his goal. His annoyance swelled into indignation, which then ballooned into anger. Scourge harnessed it all and send it outward through his fingertips. When he opened his eyes, the dome was lit by a web of bluish Force lightning, which crackled across the surface of the dome. It briefly illuminated the interior of the pod, allowing a glimpse of Kira’s face, which was pallid and still. Scourge watched as tiny hair-thin cracks appeared in the surface of the transparisteel. When they had spread out far enough, he drew back his arm, clenched his fist, and drove it into the lower half of the dome.

The entire door shattered, releasing a hiss of pent up gas.

Kira tumbled forward and Scourge caught her. For a moment, she just slumped uselessly in his arms, but then she moaned and one of her hands flew to her forehead.

“What a headache-” Kira looked up and saw him gripping her by the shoulders. “Whoa. It’s you.”

“Who were you expecting?”

“What are you doing here? Where’s Tali?”

“She went on ahead to catch up to Lord Tagriss.”

“And you didn’t go with her?”

“I haven’t caught up with her yet. She doesn’t know I’m here.”

Kira blinked at him a moment. “You just...came here to get me out?”

Scourge gave the slightest shrug. “It needed doing.” Kira was making an awfully big deal out of this, he thought. All this attention was making him uncomfortable.

“Well...thanks.”

_We’re a team. It’s what we do for each other._

“Allies are more powerful when they work together,” Scourge said, “rather than at cross-purposes.” The words were foreign in his mouth. But they felt right. Hadn’t he complained about the incompetence of the Dark Council for this very reason? Maybe the Sith could learn a thing or two from the Jedi.

Kira was still staring at him. “Yeah,” she said.

“Shall we get going then?”

A few minutes later, Scourge and Kira found Tali standing alone on the uppermost platform of the Arcanum. She was holding her unlit lightsaber in her hand, staring ahead, her shoulders bowed. There was a man lying on the floor at her feet, but Scourge could already see that it wasn’t Tagriss. Tali heard them approaching and turned, her face brightening when she saw Kira.

“You’re here! You’re all right!” Tali rushed towards Kira and embraced her. Scourge felt a pang of jealousy watching their happy reunion. Only then did she notice him.

“Scourge! What…?”

“He rescued me,” Kira said, thumbing a finger back in Scourge’s direction.

“He did?” Tali glanced at Kira and then back at Scourge again. _Why did they all have to act so damn surprised?_

“Thank you,” she said.

Scourge gave her a nod.

Kira was looking around the room. “What happened?”

“Tagriss got away.” Tali sighed.

Scourge wandered off while Tali and Kira shared stories. Something on the far side of the room had caught his eye.

Surrounded by crates and machinery, in the farthest corner of the room, there was an empty vat, its sides streaked with the remnants of some greenish chemical. Tubes snaked out of the sides like twisted legs, some curling on the ground and some dangling off the floor. Most of them were connected to nothing, but one of them led to a contraption nearby. It squatted like a giant, bloated spider in the back of the room, its body a flat circular platform with a web of wires hanging down over it from a domed bar above. Scourge approached, his memory already substituting the empty vat with a vision of it churning and full. Now the wires hung impotently from the top bar of the contraption, but Scourge knew that once they had all been fitted with needles at the ends. He held out his arm, remembering the feel of that vile, green liquid filling his veins with fire. He could still conjure up the Emperor’s terrible voice informing him that the pain would never cease, that he would become numb to its torments over time, that the ritual was irreversible. Scourge stared at the base of the platform, knowing the lines and curves of the metal plating there burned into his memory like a brand. He had, after all, spent time sprawled helplessly with his face pressed against the platform’s base, writhing and begging for the torment to end. He had accepted his fate with grim necessity, but the horror of the memory still had the power to humble him, even now, three hundred years later.

Scourge became aware that the conversation behind him had ceased and that Tali was stepping up to his side. She glanced at him, saying nothing.

“There were more than one of those vats,” Scourge said, gesturing to the empty container that had once held the mysterious elixir the Emperor had used to transform him. “There were four, maybe five of them, placed all around me. These machines,” he turned and nodded to the silent generators stacked nearby, “ran the pumps.”

“This is how the Emperor performed his ritual?” Tali’s voice was hushed, almost reverent.

“I never thought I’d see this contraption again.”

“It’s a horrible thing,” Tali said abruptly. “We should destroy it.” Her hand hovered over the hilt of her lightsaber.

Scourge couldn’t imagine ever wanting to step onto that platform again, but he still wasn’t sure that Tali’s curing ritual had worked. What if he needed this machine again in the future? He hadn’t told Tali of his doubts, and wasn’t sure that he felt like offering to share them now.

“There’s no need for that,” he said instead. “It is all in the past now.”

Scourge could feel the agitation creeping off of Tali like an itch prickling across his skin. Her emotional reaction to seeing the contraption was stronger than he would have expected.

“It upsets you to see this?” He glanced at her face, which was calm except for the hardness in her blue eyes.

“I don’t like…” she paused, and Scourge watched in fascination as her lip curled into a snarl. “I _hate_ thinking of how this...thing, hurt you.”

At that moment, Scourge had no doubt that if the machinery before them were an enemy, Tali wouldn’t hesitate to rain death upon it. Was she imagining herself tethered to those wires, in his place? No, Scourge realized, she cared that something, and someone, had tried to hurt _him_ , and she was feeling the bitter stirrings of anger and revenge. Scourge turned to study her.

“It can’t hurt me anymore,” he said quietly.

She let out a breath and her eyes met his. “I’m glad for that.” Then she reached out and laid a hand on his arm. Scourge looked away, keenly aware of the warmth coming through her palm. She drew closer and leaned against him.

“I never thought a mere object could bear such evil.”

“Everything the Emperor touches wears his taint.”

“Not always,” she said. “It can be cleansed. Like with Kira. And with you.”

 _Can it really?_ Scourge thought. He waited there, unwilling to move and break the physical contact with Tali. Finally, she released his arm and turned away.

“Let’s go back to the ship,” she said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back! I apologize for the very long delay in posting. I have been working on this story a lot these past few months though, with the plan that I would finish it before I started posting again. I'm polishing up the final chapters now (and trying to decide if it needs an epilogue), so from now on, I plan to post regular updates from here on out until the end. So, if any of you who started reading way back when are still out there, thanks for coming back and giving this story another try! And if you are a new reader just discovering this story, hop on board, join the crazy Scourge party, and I hope you have fun reading this.


	19. Chapter 19

“Are you coming to the gala, Scourge?” Tali poked her head into one of the bedrooms of the suite and found Scourge scowling out the window. He did not appear dressed for a formal party. Tali didn’t think the Organas, or any of their noble guests, would notice his absence if he didn’t attend their gathering. Last year Tali had been granted the honorary title of “Paladin of House Organa” and now she was always included on the guest list of any social event that occurred at the Palace. Since they were on Alderaan anyway to collect another Seed, Tali felt it was only proper that she accept their invitation. She had left it up to the discretion of her crew members whether or not they wanted to attend.

Scourge turned away from the window. “I don’t care for pageantry.”

“All right,” Tali said. Perhaps it was best if Scourge kept his only-too-visible self in seclusion for this event. She turned back, feeling disappointed, and bumped into Kira, who was squeezing her way past her into the room.

“You‘re not going?” Kira raised her eyebrows in Scourge’s direction. “You’re going to miss out on that...that purple fluffy stuff they always serve at Alderaanian balls.”

Tali gave Kira a grin. “Oh, the purple fluffy stuff. Yeah, that makes it all worth it. You sure, Scourge?”

Scourge turned away, raising his eyes to the ceiling briefly before focusing out the window again. “Yes, I am certain.”

Tali shrugged and went back to the common room. Doc was there wrestling with a sash in the mirror.

“Anything that makes you swoon sounds worth trying,” he said. He gave Tali a wink as she passed by.

Tali didn’t bother with fussing over herself in the mirror. She had eschewed the customary finery of the nobles for a simple set of Jedi robes. Truth is, such formal parties always made her feel like a blundering nerf, and the last time she and Kira had been invited to a ball on Alderaan, they had spent most of their time avoiding stuffy conversation by hiding out in the side rooms, sampling the appetizers.

Tali, Doc, and Kira had barely arrived when Doc caught the eye of some noblewoman and made an excuse to wander off. Tali didn’t mind. She and Kira already had a plan on how to pass the time.

Tali pressed her back against Kira’s and glanced around, feigning boredom. “See it yet?” she whispered.

“Yup. Through that archway. Looks like they even have a punch fountain this time.”

“Great. Let’s go.”

House Organa must have had a cadre of chefs working on the food choices for this event. In addition to a meter-high punch fountain, they also had two ice sculptures and a bevy of pastries shaped like miniature wildlife. Tali picked up a tiny pastry thranta and saw that its two eyes were made out of seeds.

She and Kira had barely started making the rounds of the food tables before they were accosted by someone wanting their attention. Being a Jedi often inspired interest and admiration from the citizenry, and so Tali was used to some amount of interruption whenever she went out in public. This time, she got unlucky, and was saddled with an insipid nobleman barely minutes after they had entered the buffet room. Count Jorreth was intent on monopolizing her time, prying her with questions and gazing at her with rapt idolatry. How did she like Alderaan? What did she think of the Juran mountains in summer? Tali endured a few minutes of boring conversation but then grew distracted. She envisioned herself making the pastry thrantas fly around while calling out animal noises just to see what Count Jorreth’s reaction would be. She smiled to herself, but that only seemed to encourage him further.

He was going on about something else now. Had she heard about those awful Killiks that had invaded House Cortess? Did she know that their carapaces made fine jewelry? Count Jorreth fluttered his hands dramatically and showed her a shiny iridescent ring. He assured her, with a twinkle in his eye, that he could have one commissioned for her if she so desired.

Tali glanced in Kira’s direction. Kira was busy eating some of the famed purple fluff out of a crystal dish. Tali tried to bore a hole in Kira’s head with her eyes, hoping to catch Kira’s notice. Help me, she thought. Kira didn’t look up.

“No, no,” Tali assured the Count. “I don’t wear rings much. They just pinch my palm against the hilt of my lightsaber.”

“Oh! Of course. A brooch then? I’d suggest a hairpin, they are at the height of fashion for the ladies you know, but I suppose you don’t need that.” He chuckled graciously.

Tali managed a weak smile. “Count Jorreth, I think I should-”

“My dear Jedi.” Tali glanced down to see Jorreth’s bejeweled fingers gracing her arm, “I see you are more a lady of action and intellect. May I show you something?”

Jorreth’s tone had changed slightly. The forced charm had faded, to be replaced by a more serious, if no less genteel, note. Tali looked at him, trying to cover her surprise. Jorreth had pale blue eyes in a thin face, and he was studying her with a different kind of interest. Tali had first marked him as being much older than her, but now there was a new energy in his bearing. She revised her assessment, deciding that he was younger than he had first appeared.

She nodded her assent and followed him out of the banquet room. She had taken only a few steps when she felt a faint pressure in the back of her mind. Was she having a premonition through the Force? She detoured to set down the pastry thranta, uneaten, then hurried to catch up. There must be some kind of trouble on Alderaan that he wanted to discuss with her privately. She wished that she had paid more attention to her diplomatic studies. Courtly etiquette had never been her strong suit.

Jorreth weaved through the crowded ballroom and out into a cool hallway. It was quieter here, with the hum of the crowd muted by thick walls, but still he led her onward. Tali followed him as he took her deeper into the palace.

“This castle has undergone three iterations, and the oldest section is more than a thousand years old. Did you know that, Master Jedi?” Jorreth waved a hand in the direction of a dramatically curved staircase. “Those are some of the original walls there.”

Tali followed his gaze and saw that the stone work under the stairs was noticeably cruder than the smooth colored stone around it.

Surely this wasn’t what Jorreth had wanted to show her? Tali looked around, wondering if perhaps they were still within earshot of the public, but she couldn’t see, nor sense, any other beings nearby.

The pressure she had felt earlier in her head returned, and this time it brought with it a sense of foreboding. This Tali couldn’t ignore. Something was wrong. She wanted to check in with Kira to see if she had felt it too.

“Count Jorreth, I appreciate your tour, but really I must--”

Jorreth turned, thrusting out a hand, and Tali stopped short.

“Please,” he said, “I just need a moment more of your time.” He smiled, but it wasn’t reaching his eyes. He was still holding out his hand, almost as if he expected her to take it. If this was some Alderaanian custom or social nicety, Tali was hopelessly lost. What was going on?

Jorreth began to curl his fingers up towards his palm and that’s when Tali felt it -- a growing pressure that no longer filled just her head but radiated through her torso and down her limbs. Her body was feeling stiff and heavy. She looked up into Jorreth’s face and watched in horror as his blue eyes drained of their color and began to glow red.

“I promise I’ll make it worth your while.” Jorreth bared his teeth in a ghastly sneer, and Tali realized that she was paralyzed, held fast in some sort of Force stasis. Jorreth was no count of House Organa.

His hand tightened into a fist and Tali realized that she was finding it hard to breathe. Jorreth made a snapping motion with his other wrist, and a lightsaber hilt dropped from inside his sleeve into his hand.

“You little rat!” Tali said through her clenched jaw.

“Now, now, Jedi,” Jorreth said. His voice had started out calm and slow, but it began to resonate deeper, until it wrenched through her head like the stinging edge of a blade.

“Your puny anger is no match for my--”

\--his eyes were a full red now.

“...endless-”

\--Tali’s extremities felt both tingly and numb.

“...RAGE.”

She was slammed in the chest by a burst of Force power, and it lifted her off her feet as hard as if she had been hit by the fist of a rancor. She flew backwards, watching as Jorreth grew farther away, and struggled to gather her wits about her. A split second before she impacted with the nearest wall, Tali threw a protective Force bubble around herself, cushioning her body.

Her paralysis broken, she sucked in air, feeling like her lungs simply couldn’t hold all that she needed to take in. She was underneath the towering stone steps that Jorreth had pointed out to her earlier. Tali saw him reach to the sky and then yank his hand downwards. There was an answering crack and the staircase above her trembled. Tali sprang out from under the stairs in a Force-enhanced leap, just as the ancient stone crumbled. There was a tremendous boom, and part of the stairway broke free, crashing to the floor in a hail of dust.

Through the debris, Tali spotted Jorreth gathering a purple ball of Force power into his hands. She thrust out her lightsaber as the churning ball hurtled towards her, and it impacted with her blade in a shower of sparks.

Who was this Sith? Had he come to take revenge on her for her attack on the Emperor? Or was he just a distraction while the real fight took place elsewhere?

Tali screamed inside her mind, directing everything she had outward, hoping her attempt at contact would be heard.

_Scourge!_

Ivor, her brother, had told her that the Dark Council would likely send assassins after them. Tali had almost forgotten, and now perhaps, at least one assassin had caught up with them.

“The Republic weakens itself by filling its ranks with slaves and barely sentient aliens. They should thank me for culling the riff raff.” Disgust dripped from Jorreth’s voice.

Tali circled him some paces away, noticing that he was taking pains to keep her, and her lightsaber, at a distance. “I defeated your Emperor, you sack of scum.”

Jorreth laughed. “You fool yourself. No one can defeat the Emperor. Least of all you.”

Tali leapt at Jorreth, her saber raised high. He shifted on his feet at the last moment, trying to drive his lightsaber upwards into her chest as she landed before him. She slapped his arm aside and dove for his abdomen. He shimmied away before her blade made contact. He was still verbally taunting her, but Tali had closed off her mind to all distractions, and his voice was no more than a background mumble. Tali lunged at him again and again, and he retaliated by throwing out sparks of lightning, and once by rolling away and coming back to his feet again. A few of his Force lightning bolts hit her, and Tali’s muscles rebelled under the onslaught, her coordination failing enough to throw her off balance. She paid for that by taking a lightsaber swing to the ear, but it was a superficial wound only.

Tali skittered backward and paused to catch her breath. Jorreth threw his arms out and she felt him building in power. The air crackled.

Jorreth, Tali realized then, was a one trick magic show. His lightsaber moves were hesitant, even rudimentary. His true talent lay in his ability to harness the Force as pure dark side energy, as he was doing now. Even in that, however, he was no match for Tali.

She called on the Force, drawing the light around her like a shield. She held it to her, feeling the strain like a dam about to burst inside her mind. Around her the air shimmered and bent, although whether that was Jorreth’s doing or her own, she wasn’t sure. There was a blast of pure sound and the room erupted in streaks of Force lightning. By now, Tali was verging on the very limits of what she could contain herself, so she released her energy outward in a wave.

Jorreth’s lightning and Tali’s Force energy clashed together with a low rumble that Tali felt deep within her torso. There was a flash, and Jorreth’s lightning ricocheted off Tali’s wall of Force power and was flung back. Jorreth threw out his hands, his face pasty with shock, and then he was engulfed in the storm.

He screamed as streaks of lightning crackled down on him, and his muscles seized, transforming his face into a hideous grimace of pain. Tali suspected that even though the barrage was considerable, it might not be enough to kill him. She twisted and flung back her arm to gather momentum, and then hurled her lightsaber across the room towards him. Jorreth was struck across the torso, slicing a clean line that divided his body in half, and then Tali called her weapon back to her.

Tali became aware of a sea of eyes along the edges of the room. Guardsmen hovered in the doorways with their weapons drawn, and further back a crowd of party-goers churned and muttered. Aside from the obvious spectacle of Jorreth’s body, Tali also noticed that the floor was covered in a layer of dust and debris that looked like gray snow.

“Umm, sorry about the mess.” Tali thrust her lightsaber back into her belt. The Organas would have questions, but there was no time for that. The feeling of foreboding which had assaulted Tali earlier had not dissipated with Jorreth’s death. It clung to her still, like a pall thrown over her head, clouding her mind with doubt.

“I have to go.” Tali sprinted forward and the crowd parted. As soon as the hallway was clear, she broke into a run. She realized that she had gotten turned around during Jorreth’s tour, and didn’t know the way through the palace’s labyrinthine halls. Instinct took over, and Tali simply followed where the her feelings led her, guided by the Force alone.

She recognized the hallway where her suite was located, and knew she was close. She barreled right on past the doorway to her rooms before recognizing it and backtracking. The door was ajar, and through the opening she could see splinters of broken furniture. She pulled her lightsaber free and stepped into the entryway.

The room had been trashed. Scourge was nowhere in sight.


	20. Chapter 20

Tali stepped carefully in between the shattered remains of a vase, resisting the urge to gather up the plant that was now lying in a swath of dirt across the carpet. A table had been overturned, and a holographic bust was sputtering uselessly nearby. Tali rushed through room after room, listening for sounds of a struggle or voices, but the rooms were empty of life.

“Scourge!” Tali’s voice hung heavy and lonesome in the air.

He had been alone in the suite. Why hadn’t she insisted that he come to the gala? As soon as the thought entered Tali’s mind, she knew that it was a hopeless desire. She never would have forced Scourge to come against his wishes.

Her hand brushed against the wall, her fingers discovering a furrow there left by the obvious burn of a lightsaber. Tali’s gut twisted and she picked up her pace, running now through the rooms, heading for the back of the suite.

She burst into the last room. The balcony doors were wide open, displaying a stunning sunset over the mountains. She ran onto the balcony and leaned over the edge.

Fingers of night had already crept across the garden below, and tiny lights illuminated walkways between bushes and flower beds. There was a blur and Tali spotted red lightsabers battling each other among the tight, twisted paths of the garden below. Three Sith assassins circled around Scourge, backing him towards a dead end. His moves were rushed and frantic, barely enough to hold them at bay.

Tali leapt up onto the balcony wall and somersaulted down into the garden, cushioning her fall with the Force. She ran headlong towards the battle and vaulted into the fray.

None of the Sith had seen her coming. One of them met her lightsaber as it came down for a strike, while the other two Sith continued their barrage on Scourge. Through the hail of blows, Tali could see that Scourge was favoring his left leg, but he met her eye with solid determination and perhaps - had she imagined it? - even a spark of relief.

It took only a moment for Tali to realize that these three Sith were a cut above the likes of Jorreth. Their moves were furious and bold and Tali needed all her concentration just to face the one on her. The Pureblood woman attacking her was muscular and abnormally tall, towering a full head over Tali’s height. No doubt she had been specially chosen as one of the Sith tasked with taking down Scourge. Her reach was long and Tali had to work harder to find openings in her guard. Tali slipped into that trance-like state where the rest of the world fell away and there was nothing but the whirl of her blade and the dance of her feet.

Their battle was a tug-of-war, with each of them taking turns advancing and retreating, and for a long time it seemed neither would gain any advantage. Finally, Tali ceded ground, back stepping down the path towards and the open area she felt in her mind behind her. The Sith bared her teeth and pushed harder, interpreting Tali’s backpedaling as a sign of victory. Tali jumped among the low stone benches, leading the Sith on a calculated chase, pulling her opponent farther from Scourge.

Once among the garden’s courtyard, Tali renewed her efforts, lashing out at the Sith with a torrent of unexpected energy. When the Sith came close to one of the benches, Tali saw her chance and took it. She Force-pushed the Sith backwards, causing her long legs to trip over the bench behind her, and the Sith tumbled over it, landing on her back. Tali was already propelling herself forward in a Force-enhanced leap over the bench. Within moments she was looming over the Sith, her blade plunging downward. The Sith was not used to facing opponents above her it seemed, and was slow to react. Tali’s lightsaber stabbed through the Sith’s armor and into her chest.

The glint in the Sith’s eyes winked out, and a split second later there was a roar from behind her. Tali was lifted into the air and flung forward. Another Sith.

She crashed into the pool of a nearby fountain. The water rushed over her head and into her nose, and Tali went to jump back up but something prevented her.

The same force that had thrown her was now pinning her to the bottom of the pool. Tali had inadvertently sucked in some water during the plunge, and now her throat locked closed and her lungs panicked for air. She tried to remember how to use the Force to slow her body’s need for air, but she had been unprepared for this attack and couldn’t regain focus. In moments, her body would rebel and try to breathe, flooding her lungs with water.

Tali struggled against the force holding her down, trying to break the Sith’s control over her. Her mind was clouded and she felt her limbs beginning to jerk. Above, through the blurry water, she saw a streak of violet lightning blast into the statue centered in the fountain’s pool. And then a shadow was falling over her, large and heavy. If she didn’t drown first, she was going to be crushed. Tali’s lungs burst and she opened her mouth in a gasp.

Someone gripped her by the arm, and Tali was heaved out of the water. She tumbled over the edge of the fountain and onto the ground. Tali whirled to regain her footing, waiting for the next attack, but none came. Instead she was wracked by coughing which brought her onto to her knees. Her eyes still watered, but through her blurry vision she saw Scourge. His face was wrinkled in concentration and his arm was raised high. Above them, the broken statue hovered in the air, just over the pool where Tali had been trapped moments before. Slowly it floated away from them and then crashed into some bushes nearby. Scourge let out a heavy breath.

He rushed towards her next and yanked her upright. “Are you all right?” His face hovered close. What was that look he was giving her? Did Scourge actually look scared?

Tali coughed a few more times, but finally managed a complete sentence. “I’m good.” Scourge released her and she straightened to look around. The fountain next to her had shrunk in size now that it was missing a large chunk of the statue which had once stood in the middle of it. The Sith woman Tali had bested lay in the grass nearby.

“Where are the other two Sith?”

“One is dead,” Scourge said. “The other is over here.”

He led her to a wall of bushes. The last Sith, another Pureblood, Tali noted, was firmly wedged into the hedge wall, surrounded by tough branches and thorns, with little but his head and neck free. He looked unconscious.

“Well, that’s creative.” Tali glanced at Scourge but he had on that familiar scowl that meant he was all business.

He grabbed the Sith by the hair and jerked his face upwards. “Wake up!”

The Sith was dazed but still in control of his wits. Scourge leaned close. “Who sent you?”

The man tried to laugh but it came out instead more like a breathy cough. “You have to ask?”

Scourge tugged on the man’s hair again, tilting his head back at an awkward angle. After a prolonged moment he said, “I’m still waiting for an answer.”

“Darth Mortis,” the Sith replied. “The entire Council wants your death, but Mortis ordered the assassination.”

Scourge let go of the man. “I’m not surprised,” he said quietly. Then, before Tali had a chance to search her brain for what she knew of the Sith’s Dark Council, Scourge lit his lightsaber and finished him off.

He glanced at her then, as if waiting for her to admonish him, to say what she was supposed to say about taking the man in alive and not killing in cold blood. But Tali could not find it within herself to feel any charity towards this Sith, who had meant to cut Scourge down, and had tried to drown her, while also putting all the guests at House Organa in danger.

She turned away and headed back towards the suite.

Doc met her in the hallway.

“There you are! This whole place is swarming like bees. Kira’s in the med center. Someone tried to poison her.”

Tali wondered if it had been Count Jorreth. Maybe she would have been next. Had he given up on idle chit chat with her when she hadn’t eaten anything during their initial conversation?

“Is she going to be all right?”

“She’s good as a gundark,” Doc said. “Got the nasty stuff out of her before too much had been digested.”

“Let me change and I’ll go visit her.” Tali began to walk away, but Scourge held out a hand to stop her.

“Your arrival at the garden was fortuitous.” He paused. “Thank you.”

Tali felt the room brighten. “Of course, Scourge. Nothing could have kept me away.” Then she added, “And thank you for keeping that statue from crushing me in the pool.”

Scourge nodded to her and lightly squeezed her arm before releasing it.

00o00

A week later, Tali found herself on Voss. Dusk was approaching by the time Tali, Kira and Scourge reached the cave they’d been searching for. Kira called into the cave’s entrance, but only the echo of her voice greeted them in return.

“She’s in there,” Scourge said. “Her fear clings to this place.”

The previous week Kira had received a strange recording from an old friend, a girl named Suri, who had once been at Korriban Academy with Kira. She was a Child of the Emperor, like Kira had been, brought to the Emperor as an infant and tethered to his will. But unlike Kira, she had not broken free, or perhaps had not even been conscious of her special status, until the Emperor was defeated and their connection severed.

In the holo message, Suri had acted like she was being hunted, and said she was hiding out in the wilderness of the planet Voss. Something had frightened her enough that she had felt compelled to seek help though, and she had turned to Kira - and the Jedi Order - for the answer.

They stepped inside, where Kira continued calling out for her friend. “She’s here,” Kira said, her voice almost a whisper. She turned and began climbing up a small embankment. As Tali followed, she spotted the flicker of firelight beyond and could smell the smoke wafting up. Suri had found a well concealed hiding place.

“Suri.” Kira spoke gently, like one would talk to a skittish kitten. “It’s me, Kira. We’ve come to help you.”

The heat from the campfire filled this pocket of the cave, and Tali felt the sweat beginning to prickle along her brow. Suri hovered over the fire, however, rubbing her arms as if she were still trying to chase away the cold.

“Make it stop!” she moaned. “The voices won’t be silent. I can’t sleep. I don’t know what to do. Changing commands...I can’t follow. I can’t obey!”

“She still hears the Emperor,” Scourge said.

At the sound of Scourge’s voice, Suri’s head jerked up and her eyes, yellow and bloodshot, snapped open.

“Why is he here?” Her voice was a whimper of dismay. “I am faithful! I am loyal! No, no no...I cannot have incurred his Wrath.”

Kira glanced at Scourge with a frown. “Get that reaction often?”

Tali sighed, understanding. “It’s all right, Suri,” she said quickly, holding out her empty hands. “He is not the Emperor’s Wrath any longer. He is free of the Emperor and you can be too.”

A new voice echoed from the depths of the cave behind them, and Tali turned in surprise as a Sith topped the rise of the embankment. “Loyalty to the Emperor is forever,” he said, “and she does not want to be free. Do you Suri?”

Scourge’s hand hovered over the hilt of his lightsaber, and Tali could feel Kira stiffening beside her as well. Kira leaned close and whispered in Tali’s ear. “I know him, from the academy. Tannac. He’s vile.”

“Tell them how you summoned me,” Tannac said, still eyeing Suri. “Tell them how you begged for my help.”

“You called both of us?” Kira asked.

“He’ll make the words stop,” Suri said. “I need peace. I can’t live like this. I can’t...I want to die.”

“And she will die,” Tannac said. “Unless she comes with us. We are Children of the Emperor too. We know what it is like to be cut off from him. We can help her find sanity again.”

“Whoa, wait up,” Kira said. “I have a better idea. How about we bring her back to Tython where she can get real help?”

“Suri!” Tannac cried out. He drew his lightsaber with a hiss. “They are trying to take you from us!”

“No!” Suri fumbled with her lightsaber and held it out before her with two shaky hands.

“Enough of this,” Scourge muttered. He drew his own weapon and rushed towards Tannac.

 _Well that degenerated quickly_ , Tali thought. For a few heated moments, Tali was aware of nothing but spins and parries and jabs as she fought alongside Scourge. From the side of her vision, she was vaguely aware of Kira wrestling with Suri nearby, and she hoped the girl could be spared.

In a few minutes it was over. Scourge sheathed his lightsaber and when Tali met his eye, he nodded towards a corner. Suri was crumpled on the ground, curled inward on herself like a small child.

“Can she walk?” Tali asked. Kira nodded, helping Suri to her feet. “Let’s get out of here then, in case more Sith are coming.”

They took turns driving all night, rather than risk making camp as they had originally planned. Suri’s state was too fragile and unpredictable for Tali to want to risk spending a night in the wilderness. Tali was forced to use the sedatives that Doc had supplied her just to keep Suri docile during the trip. Doc administered an additional dose once they made it back to the ship and got Suri secured in the medbay. Kira paced outside the door for twenty minutes before Tali finally convinced her to go get some sleep herself.

It wasn’t until they were finally approaching Tython that Suri began to exhibit some calm without the benefit of medication. Tali attributed the change to the influence of the light side, which permeated most of Tython like a halo of protection. Thankfully, Master Kiwiiks understood the urgency of their mission and was able to get them into the temple that very day. She assured them that Suri would be in good hands with Master Kaia, a newly appointed Council member who was said to have exceptional ability in healing the mind. Tali felt a spark of annoyance on hearing that, and wondered why Master Kaia’s assistance had not been offered to them when she had sought help for Scourge. A bit of questioning, however, revealed that Master Kaia was frequently away on covert missions for the Order and had only recently arrived to Tython.

“You know,” Tali commented to Scourge, as they approached the temple, “perhaps Master Kaia would look into your problems with the Seed. Maybe she can discover why they affect you so.”

“No,” Scourge said flatly. He picked up his pace and entered the temple ahead of her, a clear sign that he considered the conversation to be over. Tali did not bother broaching it again.

Kaia, Tali discovered, was a small woman with an enormous presence. She was a Mirialan with symmetrical black tattoos across both cheeks, and coppery hair that was a shade darker than her skin. She was dressed in an elegant white dress rather than the usual Jedi robes, making her look more like a diplomat, or some other high administrative member of the Order. Her movements were slow and sure, the bearing of one who was used to being noticed and was confident among gawkers. A bustle on her skirt flared out behind her as she approached, and her slippers were silent against the polished tiles. Kaia greeted each of them with a smile and a steady gaze. Unlike some of the Jedi here, who had taken to avoiding Scourge, she approached him as well, even going so far as to take his hand in hers and hold it for a moment.

“Lord Scourge,” she said kindly. “I have heard of you.”

Scourge tugged away, looking uncomfortable.

Kira leaned in towards Tali’s ear. “Jedi guru type,” she mouthed.

“Definitely,” Tali whispered back.

Kaia turned her attention to Kira and her gold eyes shone. “Kira Carsen. You are the only Child of the Emperor ever known to have broken free of him on your own. That took great strength of will. I am honored to meet you.”

“Oh….yeah. Thanks.” Kira shrugged and then gave Tali a playful nudge on the arm. “I couldn’t have done it without Master Tal’ilavi though.”

“Indeed,” Kaia said, and Tali felt the weight of Kaia’s interest fall on her now. “You keep remarkable company Tal’ilavi. Your dedication to helping the most deeply beset among us is more than admirable.”

“I...I do what I can.” Tali quickly changed the subject. “Can you help Suri?” She lowered her voice and glanced over her shoulder, where Suri was muttering and wringing her hands.

“I have helped other Children before. Although whether she will be restored to her true self I can’t say.”

“Thanks,” Kira broke in. “That’s all we ask.”

Kaia walked away and Kira leaned in again. “Did you hear that? She’s helped other Children! That’s a good sign, don’t you think?” Tali nodded but Kira was almost shivering with excitement now and wasn’t finished talking. “Did you tell her about Scourge? Maybe she can help him too.”

Tali sighed. “Scourge isn’t interested.”

“Why?” Kira sounded plaintive and annoyed, which only peaked Tali’s own irritation at him.

“How should I know?” She glared at Scourge from across the room but he appeared not to notice.

“Well,” Kira muttered. “His loss.”

Kaia took Suri into a private room while Scourge wandered off and Tali went with Kira for a walk. They spent part of an hour drinking caf and watching initiates in the practice yard.

When they returned, they found the sitting room empty. Tali was about to turn around and suggest that they grab a bite to eat when Kira gripped her by the arm and pointed.

Tali turned. The salon was connected to the next room by an archway. There, in the adjoining room, kneeling and facing each other on a meditation rug, were Scourge and Kaia. A dim light nearby painted Kaia’s hair in shades of gold, but Tali could swear that the Jedi was giving off a light of her own. She shone with a faint halo, and Tali could feel the vibrant build-up of power coalescing around her. As she watched, Kaia raised her head and held her hands in front of her. A ball of light formed between her palms, almost too bright to look at. Kaia gently pushed the sphere towards Scourge. It floated towards him and engulfed him in flame.

Tali jerked forward, alarmed, but Kira grabbed her and tugged her back. Scourge was not on fire. He stiffened, however, and a stern look crossed his brow. Then he leaned forward, pressing his fists to the floor. Gradually, his shoulders relaxed. Tali thought she heard him sigh.

The light faded. Scourge stirred and Kaia made to rise. Tali tried to busy herself in studying a nearby painting, but it was too late. She’d been spotted.

“Tal’ilavi,” Kaia said, her voice was still smooth, although a hint of weariness tinged it now. “I’m glad you are here. I would like to speak with you, but I am not through with tending to Lord Scourge. Will you meet me in a half an hour on the balcony near the library?”

“Sure.” Tali glanced back at Scourge, but he was avoiding her gaze. Kaia approached him and spoke, and then, to Tali’s surprise, Scourge bowed forward, lowering his head before Master Kaia. She reached out and gently touched his temple.

“Better watch where you are going or you will smack into the doorway,” Kira remarked.

Tali spun back around. “Did you see that?”

“I sure did.”

“What do you think it means?”

“I think Master Kaia is one very persuasive Jedi.”

The next half hour went by excruciatingly slow. Tali amused herself by fiddling with her datapad, until at last, Kaia appeared at her elbow.

“Walk with me a moment, will you?”

“Of course, Master Kaia.”

Kaia led her down a quiet hallway where sunlight shone through tall, slanted windows. They stepped alternately across stripes of sunlight and shadow along the floor, and for while Kaia said nothing.

“For someone unschooled in the arts of shielding, you have done a remarkable job healing Lord Scourge,” Kaia began.

“We used a power crystal to help us focus...and...it didn’t solve everything.”

“Yes,” Kaia said, her voice never losing its perpetual calm. “Together you broke down the wall in which the Emperor had encased him and severed the link. There was more involved before he could be healed fully, however.” Kaia paused and gave her a kind look. “There was no way for you to have known that. That you both managed so much nonetheless is impressive.”

“What was left then?”

“When you broke Scourge’s link with the Emperor, a wound was created. A hole in the wall, you could call it. He was left with no protection against certain mental assaults, particularly those of a dark and corrupt nature.”

“That’s why being in the presence of the Seed harmed him so much?”

“Yes.”

“Master Kaia,” Tali said, suddenly unable to control her growing excitement, “were you able to heal Scourge?”

“It took some persuading, but yes, he eventually let me in. I was able to shield him. In time, his mind will restore its own protections again.”

“I can’t believe he let you do that.” Tali laughed, feeling slightly giddy.

“He is untrusting,” Kaia acknowledged. “And with good reason. I have never sensed such suffering in anyone as I did in him.”

Tali glanced over to see Kaia lightly touching her forehead, a look of pain crossing her face. Tali stopped walking and turned to face Kaia.

“Thank you, Master Kaia. I mean that. I’m sure Scourge appreciates it too.”

“I felt his relief,” Kaia said, “even if he has trouble expressing it to me. That is enough.”

Tali smiled, her heart feeling suddenly light. “Well,” she said. “I should go-”

Kaia held out a hand. “There is one more thing.” For a moment, she looked uncertain. What could Kaia possible fear to tell her? Bad news, surely.

“Were you aware that Scourge is in love with you?”

Tali felt her face heating up and her head began to buzz. She looked away, unable to meet Kaia’s penetrating gaze.

“Yes, I mean, no...it’s..not love. He’s...it’s a physical obsession, that’s all. He’s carried it around for three hundred years. He-”

Kaia touched Tali on the arm and drew her around to face her. “He is in love with you,” she said again. “It is, I suspect, the source of what little light that I sense in him.”

Tali glanced at Kaia and then down at her feet. She couldn’t bear this kind of scrutiny and needed time to process this.

“I see you didn’t realize,” Kaia said.

“I...don’t tell the Council, will you?”

Kaia smiled, and the look in her eyes was forgiving. “I have shared this secret with only you.”

“Why tell me at all?”

“There is bitterness and anger in him. So much that it threatens to drown out everything else. But his love for you is unadulterated. It is a bright and fragile thing. Tread carefully, Talilavi. For the light to take root in Scourge, it must be nurtured.”

“What do you mean?”

“Treat these feelings gently, and let the Force guide you. The Force led him to you for a reason.”

Tali stared at Kaia, unsure about what she was getting at. Was she supposed to encourage Scourge in his feelings for her?

“Here comes Kira,” Kaia said. “Good luck, Tal’ilavi.”

Kaia turned and walked away, with Tali still staring after her.


	21. Chapter 21

For the first time in many, many years, Scourge felt humbled. All the Jedi may have been but pale reflections of the Sith, weakened by their twisted values, but they clearly had knowledge of the Force that the Sith lacked. Scourge felt lighter now, and his spirits were already buoyed knowing that the Seeds would no longer trouble him. Indeed, Master Kaia had even endeavored to bring a Seed out of the vaults for him, and he had held it in his bare hands. The pure, dark side energy exuding from it -- and something far more sinister as well, if that were possible -- was enough to make him shudder. But he felt no pain. No crippling headaches. No spasming muscles.

He had had to let a Jedi into his head however. He could still feel her influence, the “shielding” she called it, like a pebble in his shoe. Small, yet intrusive. Barely noticeable one moment, and then a splinter in his heel the next. And it reeked of the light. That had been the hardest part. He had feared that filling his mind with light would weaken him somehow, make him less potent. But that hadn’t happened. In fact, when the initial burst of light energy had hit him, he had felt a moment of painful ecstasy. For those first few terrifying seconds, he had been helpless and paralyzed. And then his spirit had soared.

The light felt sterile and bright to him, filled not with the hot intensity that drove the dark side, but with a kind of cold, sharp clarity. The dark side was like being covered in a veil of shadow and flame. The light was like a dip in an icy, calm lake.

Still, he was glad for it. He had feared trickery, of course. But Master Kaia had reciprocated in that brief, intimate exchange, and he had been satisfied with her intentions. Before beginning, she had dropped her defenses and let him read her mind and emotions. Her self-righteousness and blind, rigid determination was distasteful to him, but she had wanted to help him. No doubt she attributed it to the usual altruistic motives that all Jedi preached, but Scourge knew better. It was clear that she hoped to draw him into the light.

No matter. He had received far more out of the bargain. His mind was now _whole_.

And now, what was left? He was still immortal, apparently. He wondered how long he could keep this secret from Tali. She hadn’t noticed his healing rate after the sandstorm on Tatooine, perhaps because his prime injuries had been internal and impossible for her to measure. But it was only a matter of time before she saw him survive a mortal wound. And then she would know.

What did it matter? Why did this bother him so?

Scourge had never felt more a part of something, more _normal_ , than he did as a part of Tali’s crew. He had a purpose again, and would now be able to go with her in her inevitable confrontation with the Dread Masters. But someday that would all fade away. Time would pass, Tali and her crew would retire, and then he would be cast adrift once more.

Perhaps he should warn her.

No, he decided. The realization of their failed ritual pained him, but likely it would not hold the same meaning to her. She would be disappointed that his cure wasn’t complete, but she would not be able to comprehend the weight of the centuries he already carried upon his back. The weight of those yet to come.

There are some things that must be borne in solitude.

00o00

Balmorra had been won by the Republic, but small skirmishes still broke out in isolated pockets, and the recent war was evident everywhere they traveled. They had to pass through no less than five military barricades as they made their way towards the location of the latest buried Seed. Tali had to call in a few favors in order to get them clearance to enter the area, and even then the commanding officer was reluctant to offer them anything but the barest assistance. The troops there were aware of the Seed, and had restricted the zone to all but the highest personnel. It was too dangerous, Tali was told, and quite a few troops had been lost to the madness there, killed by turning on each other. They were grateful for her presence, but could grant her no guides into the area.

She and Scourge were on their own.

It was the first time, since Taris, that Tali had taken Scourge on one of their treks to find a Seed. Scourge had told her how he had held a Seed in his hand in front of the Jedi Kaia, and that he had suffered no ill effects from it. Truly then he was cured. Tali had told him as much, but Scourge had just shrugged. “Mostly,” he replied. She wondered what that meant. Was there something else that he was hiding from her?

It had been almost a week since their visit to Tython, but still Tali was reeling from Kaia’s revelation about Scourge. So many times she had pushed aside any evidence of his feelings, convincing herself that Sith were not capable of the trust and compassion that a true relationship entailed. She had told herself that his interest in her was physical only, and that she was no more than a conquest to him. As a consequence, she had frozen her heart and pushed aside all feelings, certain that any attachment to him was destined to end in pain.

Everything the Council had feared was coming to pass, Tali realized. Kaia had said that the Force had drawn them together for a reason. Was this some kind of test? Tali had never felt more confused.

Tali stared at the setting sun and sighed aloud. It was summertime on Balmorra, and it was hot in the open air speeder. She was sticky. And cranky. And annoyed with all the time they had lost in getting here. They had been forced to take several detours along the way, and still their destination was not in sight.

“We’re never going to make it by tonight,” Tali muttered.

“No,” Scourge said. He continued driving, then stole her a glance. “We will have to camp for the night. We can retrieve the Seed when the sun rises. No use trying to find it in the dark.”

Tali scowled at the slowly moving horizon.

“What’s the matter, Jedi? Not looking forward to spending the night with me?”

Tali wasn’t in the mood for any of Scourge’s teasing. She didn’t know how to react anymore, for one thing, and now she wondered if there was any meaning behind his playful banter. When she didn’t answer, Scourge just shrugged and looked away.

Gradually, Tali became aware that the sound of insects had ceased. They drove through barren fields and over desolate hilltops with only the grinding of the speeder’s engine for company. They passed a few lone trees, twisted specimens that reminded Tali of withered corpses reaching out from the grave. At last Scourge killed the engine. An oppressive silence settled over them like a pall.

“Cheery place,” Tali grumbled. She climbed out and began to unload their meager supplies.

“I think the Seed is beyond that ridge,” Scourge said, pointing to the northwest. “There’s some shelter over here by this tree.”

The tree was an ugly old giant that grew in a lopsided tangle at the top of a small hill. Underneath the hillside, the roots emerged and coiled along the ground, creating a small canopy of sorts. Tali draped a tarp over them and crawled inside. It was passable for a make-shift shelter, but there was not enough room for the two of them.

She crawled back out and dusted herself off. “It’s ok,” she said. “Small though.”

“We’ll take turns,” Scourge said. “I’ll take the first watch.”

They built a fire a short distance away and had a quick meal of canned noodles and gravy. The label said there was supposed to be meat in there too, but Tali only found one or two pieces of a chewy, rubbery substance, which she tossed into the fire. By then it was full dark. 

Tali knew she had not been good company that day, and now that she had the time to contemplate, she began to feel remorse. She had acted angry towards Scourge and she wasn’t sure why. _I suppose that I just resent him for making my life more complicated_ , she decided.

But another voice spoke in her head. _Why do you care so much about his feelings in the first place? Why should it matter if he’s in love you?_

It did matter. It mattered a lot.

The silence between them had been a comfortable one, but Tali realized that that could change if Scourge caught wind of her thoughts. She needed to change the subject.

“What made you decide to give Master Kaia’s remedy a try? You seemed pretty against the idea initially.”

Scourge glanced at her from underneath his eyebrows. “I changed my mind.”

“Well, obviously.” Tali tacked on a laugh to try and lighten the mood. “I’m glad you changed your mind. But something must have affected your decision.”

Scourge looked down at his clasped hands. “I watched as she entered Suri’s mind, and soon after, there was a look on that girl’s face, like the weight of the galaxy lifting from her shoulders. She was coherent and calm, and yet I still felt the dark power in her pulsing away, untouched. She was healed, but nothing was taken from her.”

Tali nodded, understanding. Scourge had always feared losing himself, had always been resistant to the thought of the Jedi trying to change him. It made sense.

“I judged it worth the risk,” Scourge finished.

“I know it’s been hard for you to have a limitation like that affecting our missions.”

“Once,” Scourge said, casting her a look, “I pledged myself to your side. Do you remember?”

“Of course I do,” Tali said quietly.

“I couldn’t fulfil my promise as long as the Seeds prevented me from accompanying you. But now I am here...” Scourge said this with a corresponding wave of his hand, “...and this is exactly where I belong. It-” the words stuck for a moment until a shake of Scourge’s head dislodged them, “pained me to be separated from you.”

Tali was surprised by the depth of Scourge’s emotion. “I’m glad to have you with me again,” she said. Kaia’s words played in her head. _Tread carefully, Tal’ilavi. For the light to take root in Scourge, it must be nurtured._ Tali gave Scourge a smile.

Scourge nodded. “It is as it should be.”

They spent a short time more conversing about inconsequential things, until Tali finally bid Scourge good night. She left the fire and crawled into the shelter.

Her sleep was fitful at best, however, and she was beset by unwelcome dreams filled with disturbing images. After a few hours of tossing in a sleep that gave no rest, Tali rolled onto her back and sighed. Her eyes slid open.

A huge shape was looming over her.

Tali bolted awake and threw her hands out. Her palms met with an immoveable, solid, _something_ , hard as the earth itself. She squirmed, causing her to bump into yet another object by her side. And another. She was hemmed in.

Tree roots? Tali reached out again, and this time, she recognized the shaggy, fibrous feel of root bark. _Just the tree, that’s all._ The creepiness of this place was getting to her.

But no, something still wasn’t right. When she had crawled inside the shelter a few hours earlier, she had had enough headroom to sit up, but now the roots of the tree were a tangled web around her, much closer and more entwining than she remembered. The rapid growth of this tree was far from normal. Smaller roots were catching on her lekku like grubby, intrusive hands, and Tali thrust them aside. Her hand touched something then, something slimy and cold. Not a tree root. Tali let out a cry and scrambled out from underneath the shelter, tumbling at last into the dirt and the open air.

Sillhouetted against the dying fire, Tali saw Scourge leap to his feet. The red blade of his lightsaber came to life in his hand and he ran towards her. Tali practically slammed into him in her effort to put distance between herself and the tree.

“Get back!” she cried. “Get away from it!” She knew only too well what she had touched. It was greasy and metallic. Scourge grabbed hold of her, brandishing his lightsaber and looking back and forth between her and the tree.

“It’s corrupted,” Tali said. She knew her voice sounded breathless and too high pitched. She turned and pointed at the tree. The roots were covered in the cybernetic nodules called forth from the Seed.

She took deep breaths, trying to calm her pounding heart.

Scourge tugged her towards the fire. “Come into the light.”

Tali followed him, trying to control a shiver. “I don’t know how it grew so quickly-”

“Tali,” Scourge said suddenly. His voice sounded strange and hollow. “Hold still a moment. There’s something-”

Tali looked down at her arm. One of the hideous cybernetic nodules was welded to her skin, glistening in the firelight.

A fear so total took over her then, that Tali lost all sense of propriety or shame. She screamed and tore at it with her fingernails, her voice cracking as she yelled, “Get it off, get it off me!” That nodule, that horrific thing, had violated the integrity of her body, and Tali felt every inch of her skin crawling with disgust and dread.

“Tali! Tali!” Scourge gripped her by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Listen to me.”

Tali’s screams faded to choking gasps. “Get it...get it off…”

“You want me to pull it out? I can, but it will hurt.”

“Do it! Just get it off me!”

Scourge nodded and his face hardened. For a moment, Tali felt his fingers grasping for purchase around the edge of her skin and then he braced her against him with his other arm.

He yanked, hard, and Tali felt a searing pain as a chunk of skin tore off. She screamed again, louder this time.

Scourge tossed the foul thing in the fire and then hurriedly tore off the end off his sleeve. He began to wrap it tightly around Tali’s bleeding arm.

Tali slumped to the ground, feeling hot and sick. “It’s gone, it’s gone... right?”

“Let me check you over.” Scourge drew her to her feet. Tali stood as still as she was able, although a trembling had overtaken her and she felt as thin and weak as a blade of grass. Scourge ran his hands over her, systematically and thoroughly, and Tali was vaguely aware of the thought that she never would have allowed such a thing only hours before.

Scourge knelt before her and ran his hands lastly up and down her legs.

Tali felt it as soon as his hand passed over her.

“Oh no, oh stars, oh please, not another…”

“Tali,” Scourge said quietly. “There’s one here on your thigh. It’s big.” He stood up and gripped her again by the shoulders. “I can’t rip it out.”

Fear swallowed her and for a moment Tali felt blind with terror. She tried to speak, but nothing but half-finished sentences stuttered out.

“We’re getting out of here.” Scourge picked her up. “And you need medical attention.” He carried her to the speeder.

It was cool and dark there. Scourge sat her in the passenger seat and Tali closed her eyes.

“Shhhh,” Scourge said from somewhere close. He was leaning over her. Tali realized she was still whimpering. “We will get the node out. We’ll take you to a medic back on base, or to Doc if need be.”

“Ok,” Tali said. “Ok.” _Pull yourself together. Scourge is right. We will get this fixed._

Scourge stood and up and for a moment Tali looked up at the empty night sky. She could feel the nodule against her thigh, cold and wet. And hungry. She could swear that it was tightening its grip on her like a leech, burrowing deeper into her flesh. She glanced at the driver’s seat but Scourge wasn’t in it.

“Scourge!” she called. “Don’t leave me.”

She watched as he kicked out the fire and gathered their sleeping rolls. Then he returned and dumped them in the back. He slid into the seat next to her.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He leaned close and gripped her under the chin. “You can do this, Tali. You are strong. Don’t give in to the fear. You hear me?”

Tali swallowed and nodded.

“Good.” Scourge hit the ignition and the engine tore to life. Moments later they were speeding across the plains.

Tali concentrated on breathing slowly and practicing mindfulness as her masters had taught her. _I am alive. I am away from the Seed._ She stared at the night sky and tried to focus on the here and now. Letting her thoughts wander would only allow the fear to take hold again. _I am riding in the speeder. It is cool and dark. The wind is passing over my skin. I am safe for now._

She was starting to feel more like herself again when she felt a twinge coming from her thigh. Of course the nodule would be painful, that was to be expected, wasn’t it? But the pain she felt was deep and internal, not just along her skin where it was attached. She imagined the nodule sending out roots that spread throughout her body, causing new eruptions elsewhere along her skin. Tali’s fingers gripped the edge of the seat as she tried to force the image from her mind, but it only blossomed anew in even more hideous detail.

Scourge glanced over at her a few times, sensing the change in her.

“Fight it, Tali.”

She nodded. “I will.” _I’ll try._

“Give Doc a call. Tell him to meet us at the nearest outpost.”

Tali was eager to have a job to do. She fished out her holocomm and punched in the frequency for her ship’s medbay.

After a moment, Doc appeared, looking disheveled and groggy. “Tali…” He stifled a yawn and then his eyes widened. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

Tali relayed him a summary of the night’s events, trying to keep her voice steady.

“I’ll be there,” Doc said. “Don’t you fret.”

It was a three hour trip back to the nearest base. By the time they saw the lights of the outpost in the distance, Tali was starting to wonder if she was having hallucinations. She kept seeing faces in the shadows, and a few times she asked Scourge to repeat what he had just said, only for him look at her strangely and tell her that he hadn’t been speaking.

Scourge pulled up in front of the medical tent. He leapt out of the speeder and marched towards the tent, bellowing into the darkness. “I need a medic! Now!”

The tent opened and Doc stepped out. “Hey there now. I’m here, I’m here.” He paused to catch Tali’s eye and shoot her a wink. “Medic requested. Medic delivered.”

His usual joviality faded however, once Tali got inside and Doc had a better look at her. “I don’t like the way she’s becoming unresponsive. This is more than just a piece of metal stuck to her leg.”

Tali started to tell him that she was present and heard him just fine, but suddenly his face twisted into a hideous grin and a long tongue snaked out, tasting the air before her face.

Tali skittered backwards across the table and reached for her lightsaber. Just as her fingers closed around the hilt, however, it was torn from her hand. Tali looked up to see Scourge with his hand outstretched, ready to catch her weapon as it flew toward him. Tali lunged at him. That obviously wasn’t Scourge. Not with that horn coming out of his head and those blackened fingernails. She was vaguely aware of someone shouting for restraints.

The monsters held her down against the table while Tali fought with elbows and knees and teeth. Then, she felt a prick on her arm and everything faded into nothingness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I forgot to mention last chapter how frustrated I was during Kira's quest when I couldn't find a way to save Suri. All options appear to result in her going back with the Sith or getting killed. (I assume she dies anyway...I was always afraid to go through with that conversation choice.) I wanted to see her healed back on Tython, and of course that also was a good opportunity for Scourge to have the same.
> 
> As for this chapter, I've always been creeped out by those cybernetic nodules on the twisted roots in the Dread Seed areas. I remember finding a tick on me as a child, or getting a burr caught in my hair, and that was enough to make me feel freaked out, so multiply that by ten and you get the nodules. Ick.
> 
> Anyway, thanks everyone for reading and for your reviews! I always appreciate the feedback.


	22. Chapter 22

Doc worked on Tali in the surgical tent for over five hours. The commanding officer in charge had offered up his private quarters for Tali to recuperate in, and Scourge sat there now, slumped in a chair, watching the afternoon sun through the open tent flap. He had been up for more than a day now, and he felt blurry-eyed and slow-witted. He sat up when he saw Doc emerge from the med tent. Doc rubbed his eyes and then headed to where Scourge was waiting. Scourge stood up.

“So?”

“I think I got it all out. That thing was made of pure evil if I ever saw it.”

“You’re probably correct in that assessment.”

“Even after I pulled it out, it trailed these…” Doc’s face curled into a grimace of distaste, “...tendrils of wire and the worst thing was that they were _moving_. Like they were alive. The deepest ones were burrowing into her bone, trying to fuse with her skeleton.”

“I’m glad I got her to you when I did then.”

Doc met his eye. “So am I. Any longer…” He shook his head. “So, anyway. She’s ready to come in here and rest until she wakes up. I’d advise that we all keep a close eye on her, especially for the first day or so post-surgery.”

Scourge nodded. “I’ll get her then.”

Scourge found Tali still on the operating table. A fresh-faced medic glanced up when Scourge entered, paled, and then scurried off. Scourge gathered Tali in his arms, taking care to avoid knocking into any of her bandages. The commander’s tent was fairly luxurious for field accommodations, with a small cooling chamber for food, a desk with a cushioned chair, and rugs along the floor. In the center of the room was a double-wide cot with a mattress that was thick enough to give it the illusion of a real bed. Scourge laid Tali here and pulled a light sheet over her.

Then he looked around the room, wondering now what he should do. He needed sleep. He finally settled into the cushioned chair he had been waiting in earlier, and was asleep within moments.

00o00

Tali awoke to utter darkness. Where was she? She blinked lazily as she lay on her back, vague memories washing over her like blurry pictures viewed underwater. Slowly, shapes materialized out of the night, oblongs and squares and lumpy blobs of gray that finally sharpened into objects she recognized. Some shelves, a cooler, a desk, a chair.

Someone was in the chair.

Tali sat up, her memories going from a trickle to a flood. The corrupted tree. The cybernetic nodules. The monsters trying to devour her.

No, that wasn’t right. Doc had been there, and Scourge. Had she really drawn her lightsaber on them? Her hand flew to her belt, but there was nothing there. In fact, she wasn’t wearing very much at all. A nightshirt and some shorts. Bandages on her arm and leg.

The shape in the chair had to be Scourge then. Gingerly, she sat up and eased out of bed, favoring her leg. She crept closer. No doubt Scourge looked the way he always had. No horns, no blackened fingernails, no sharp teeth. Still, the memory was so vivid, her fear so stark and cold. Just conjuring up the image again was enough to send a chill across her skin. It was dark. What if she were still dreaming? What if this were just another of the Dread Masters’ nightmares?

She leaned close, listening to the steady in and out of Scourge’s breath. Lightly, she touched his mind.

The shape in the chair bolted upright and lashed out in her direction, catching her by the arm as started to dart away.

“Scourge!”

He released her.

“Tali? What are you doing?” He breathed out slowly. “That was foolish of you.”

“How the hell else was I supposed to check and see if was really you?”

“Perhaps it might have occurred to you to turn on a light instead?” A heavy pause. “Nevermind.”

He stepped past her and approached a desk. A small light flared on, bathing them both in a silvery glow.

His shirt was open, revealing those curious little etched “v’s” on his chest that Tali had seen once before. Quickly, she forced her gaze upwards again. No horn on his head. He looked like Scourge. Cranky as usual.

“So?” he asked. “Do I look normal to you?”

“Let me see your hands.”

“My?-” He shook his head and held out his hands, palms up.

Tali stepped forward quickly and grabbed his left hand, flipping it over. His nails were a rosy pink, trimmed, normal. His had rather nice hands, actually. They were calloused of course, as was typical for Jedi and Sith. They dwarfed hers, hard and strong. Tali recalled the way he had taken a hold of her arm just a moment before.

“Do I pass your inspection?”

“What? Oh, yeah. It’s official. You’re you.” Tali folded her arms across her chest, feeling a bit self conscious now.

“What was I before?”

“Something hideous.”

Scourge chuckled. “There are some who would tell you that I hadn’t changed then.”

“I don’t think you are hideous. Far from it fact. You’re really attractive-” Great gundarks, it was time to shut up. Maybe the drugs Doc gave her were still not out of her system.

Scourge arched an eyebrow.

“So, um...I’m sorry I attacked you last night, or yesterday, or whenever that was. I did attack you, right?”

Scourge shrugged, the look on his face softening. “You were under the Dread Master’s influence.”

“Yeah. It wasn’t fun.” Tali rubbed her arms, feeling bumps rising against her skin at the memory. “I’m just going to step out for a minute.” Tali headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Scourge appeared at her side, eyeing her suspiciously.

“To the _refresher_. Is that all right with you?”

“Of course.”

Maybe they were both a bit jumpy tonight.

Doc must have told Scourge to keep an eye on her or something, because Scourge stood in the doorway of the tent, staring in the direction she had gone, and was still there when she returned. She climbed back into bed, still under Scourge’s watchful eye.

“You going to tuck me in now? Sing me a lullaby too, maybe?”

“Do you want me to?”

She glanced at him. He wasn’t smiling, but she sensed mirth underneath that pointed look nonetheless.

She chuckled and decided not to answer. “Good night Scourge.”

He flipped off the light and she heard the chair creak as he settled back into it. Was he really going to sleep the whole night in that chair?

“You don’t have to stay here, you know. Why don’t you get some proper sleep in one of the bunks?”

He was quiet a moment. “Yesterday evening you asked me not to leave your side. Do you remember?”

She did. And there was no way she would have made that speeder drive back to the base alone. She could easily imagine one of the Dread Masters’ visions taking hold of her, causing her to drive off a cliff or something.

“I appreciate you being here. I just feel bad about you sleeping in that chair.”

“Would you rather invite me to your bed?”

She could hear the satisfied smirk in his voice. “No,” was the obvious answer, but that seemed too abrupt, maybe even rude. She needed something witty, casual…

She had hesitated too long. _That might not be a good idea_ , she opened her mouth to say.

“Considering my offer?”

Months ago, Tali would have assumed that this was just another one of Scourge’s attempts to fluster her, to tempt her into giving in. Now, she wasn’t sure what to make of it. It sure sounded like the same old Scourge. Maybe Kaia was wrong, and she had mistaken lust for love after all.

Her mind sent her an image of Scourge then, his shirt falling open as he climbed into her bed, hovering over her…

“Only if you stay put on your side.” What the hell did she just say?

“You surprise me,” Scourge said quietly.

A strange realization came over her then. She wasn’t afraid of Scourge doing something drastic and overly bold, like ravaging her during the night. Even wounded, she could defend herself, and they were an equal match for each other in skill. Besides, he wouldn’t dare.

_Would he?_

No, he wouldn’t.

She was more afraid of herself. Of what _she_ might do. To feel that warm skin against hers and the hard plane of his chest beneath her cheek...

There he was now, the mattress dipping low as he settled onto the edge of the bed. Her heart was beating faster, the air getting thinner. She had to get a hold of herself. She couldn’t give Scourge any indication that she _wanted_ this.

_Why not?_

“Good night Tali.” In the dark his voice sounded close. Intimate even.

“Good night Scourge.”

00o00

By the time Tali awoke the next morning Scourge was already gone. She lay still a moment, staring at the tousled sheets on the far side of the bed. If it weren’t for the indentation in the pillow next to her, she might have convinced herself that she had dreamt it all.

Nothing had happened between them during the night. Tali felt strangely disappointed, then embarrassed at such a thought. She had slept so soundly, still under the influence of Doc’s painkillers, that she doubted she could have stayed awake even if she had tried. Even now, the memory was already taking on that hazy quality that drugged memories often did. Maybe it was for the best then. After all, if anything of import were to happen, she would surely want to remember it later, to savor the details at her leisure, right?

_That’s enough, Tali._

She got up, dressed, and wolfed down a ration bar, then went to find Doc. He removed her bandages and checked over her wounds, then told her she was ready to upgrade to a kolto patch. Scourge and Kira, Tali learned, had gone after the Seed and weren’t expected to return until nightfall.

Tali was bored, but Doc kept fussing over her every time she tried to get up and do something, so she finally settled back in the tent to watch some holo vids on her datapad. Someone had just blown a really easy question on “So You Think You’re a Genius?” when she was interrupted by a call on her comm. It was Master Kaia calling from Tython.

Tali couldn’t imagine what Kaia would want to speak to her about.

“Master Kaia,” she said pleasantly, “how are you today?”

“I am well, Tal’ilavi. Thank you.” Kaia was dressed impeccably as always, this time in a stunning gown with intricate lacing along the neckline. “I know you are a busy woman, so I will get right to the point. I wanted you to know that the Jedi Council tried to open an inquiry recently into your...association with Lord Scourge.”

“What?” Tali sat up straighter and put both feet on the floor. “I don’t understand, they approved his assignment to my ship.”

“Not everyone agrees with the inquiry. Many think this whole thing is a waste of time. Master Gend, for example, was asked to give an impression of you and Scourge, and he had nothing but praise for both of your efforts. I understand you are involved in a mission of critical importance for him. I don’t think that should be interrupted.”

“Who opened the inquiry?”

Kaia paused. “That doesn’t matter. I wanted you to know that I am taking care of things as best I can on my end. I have managed to convince them to shelve the inquiry for now.”

Tali couldn’t hide her surprise. “Thank you. But...why are you doing this for me?”

Kaia grew quiet for a moment. “I used to shun all attachments,” she said, “but now I feel that moderation is the key, not absolute denial.” She gazed off into the distance, her eyes looking far away into a memory. Then she looked back at Tali and smiled.

“I believe everyone is redeemable, Tali. Sometimes you have to get your hands a bit dirty while sifting through the mud to find those buried gems. You are unconventional-,” she gave Tali a sideways smile, “-clearly, in many ways. Still, you are filled with the power of the Force, with light and with truth. I sensed that in you. And I sensed in Scourge an honest devotion to you. I don’t agree with those on the Council who think Scourge should be pulled from your service and required to dedicate himself to the Order.”

Tali nearly choked. Scourge would never, ever submit to such a demand. They would lose him forever as an ally. Tali also sincerely doubted that Scourge could be turned to the light. She would not tell Kaia that however. Scourge was not a typical Sith in the ways that she had once been taught. He was not _evil_. She wondered if Kaia would still be so supportive of her if she knew just how much Tali had learned about Sith culture from Scourge.

“Scourge would never become a Jedi under duress,” Tali said. She doubted that he would ever become a Jedi period, but she didn’t need to tell Kaia that.

“I agree. I wanted you to know that while there are a few that doubt you, you also have allies.”

“Is Master Kiwiiks supportive of me?”

“She is concerned for you, but at the table she speaks in your favor.”

“Thank you Master Kaia. Very much.” Tali clasped her hands and bowed her head. Something about Master Kaia made her want to slip into traditional habits and honorifics.

“May the Force be with you.”

“Likewise.”

The comm cut off and Tali slumped back into her chair. Kaia had spoken of _attachments_ and of _moderation_. Surely she must realize that to a Sith “attachment” translated into “passion,” which had as little to do with moderation as the light had to do with the dark. Kaia did not think that Tali would be able to turn Scourge to the light with kindness and fealty alone, did she?

_I do not want to turn him_ , she realized. She was startled at the implications.

Trying to turn Scourge felt...dishonest somehow. _He is who he is and I accept that._

And who was Scourge exactly? He was a Sith to the core, non-apologetic in his beliefs and a stalwart adherent of the the dark side. He was also loyal, introspective, and did not believe in wanton destruction or cruelty without purpose. At the Arcanum he had demonstrated that he could truly be a part of her crew when he took it upon himself to free Kira. On Alderaan, he had fished Tali out of the fountain just before she would have been crushed by that statue. And the look on his face afterwards...He wasn’t just saving her because it was his duty. It was more than that.

_Scourge is in love with you._

He had taken charge when Tali had been compromised by the Dread Seed’s influence and had gotten her to safety when she direly needed it. He fought alongside her again and again, and they worked well together. Decisions made in the heat of battle came smoothly and with no direct communication required. A pointed look, a hasty gesture - they knew each other’s moves and thoughts by now with rote familiarity. Tali had trusted him enough to let him sleep beside her at night.

_What am I afraid of?_

She had worked so diligently to hide her true feelings from him. To hide them from herself. She was hopelessly attracted to him. She genuinely liked him. There was more between them now than being mere allies. They had a friendship now, a bond.

They had an _attachment_. They could have more that that if she wanted.

The very thing she had feared had already come to pass, Tali realized. If Scourge wanted to hurt her now, to lead her into a tumultuous, passionate affair and then leave her when it suited him, there was nothing stopping him. She already cared too much. Then an even stranger thought occurred to her. She had been holding back for so long, guarding her emotions, yet in the end it was Scourge who had given his heart first. Scourge, the taciturn one, who she would never have imagined could be vulnerable or hurt, Scourge, the man she had once thought incapable of love.

_All those barriers you constructed_ , she thought, _and Scourge just slipped right past them_. Not with cunning, not with coercion, not with deceit. He had gained her trust the old fashioned way.

He had earned it.

What was left to hold her back?

_Nothing. Nothing at all._


	23. Chapter 23

Tali awoke in the middle of the night, although she couldn’t place what had disturbed her. She lay inside the barracks listening to the evening silence. Earlier she had fallen asleep to the music of insects, but now the night was heavy and still. The air felt caught in a tremble of anticipation, as if all the world held its breath. A storm was coming.

They were on the planet Belsavis, the Republic’s penitentiary, here to investigate the sanctum in which the Dread Masters had hidden after first escaping their prison confinement. Belsavis was a planet of extremes. The habitable areas where the prisoners and their jailors lived were lush jungle, but far above, at the peak of distant craggy mesas, snow storms raged. One of those storms was on its way now. It would start as a howling tempest, but when it hit the jungle canyons, the heat would clash with the icy wind and it would turn into a magnificent thunderstorm.

Tali sat up and tossed aside her covers. Beside her, Kira slept soundly in her cot, her sides rising and falling to a gentle rhythm. Tali grabbed a top to cover her thin nightshirt and slipped out of the room. The rooms they had been assigned to all opened out onto a wide expanse of manicured grass, while beyond, a hillside led to where the wilds where the jungle began.

The grass was cool against her bare feet. Tali walked up the hill and stood at its apex, looking out over the vast sky. The lights from prison administration glowed thickly in the moist air, creating a radiance around the buildings where people slept. Not far away, Tali could just make out a solid wall of ice that towered over everything like a stoic mountain. 

Silvery clouds were overtaking the mesa, and with them came the first stirrings of a chill breeze. The sight of the sky - churning, boiling, restless - filled Tali with a strange yearning. There was something liberating about a thunderstorm, the build up in the air, where everything was coiled tight like a spring, and then the breakthrough as all that energy was discharged in a torrent of wind and rain. It was nature’s way of achieving equilibrium. She wished there was a way to relieve the upheaval she felt inside her. Why couldn’t her life be just as straightforward and predictable?

As she watched, the clouds lit for a moment in a blaze of lightning, revealing the storm in it entirety; a massive wave rolling across a dark shore. She knew she should go back to the barracks. When the rains arrived, they would be torrential, but there was a certain thrill to standing in the path of nature’s barrage, with the heat of its breath hot against her neck. A fork of lightning broke from the clouds and raced across the sky, branching into a multitude of fingers.

Tali became aware of a presence nearby. She knew his feel well by now, so she was not surprised when she turned around to see that Scourge had left his room and was about to join her at the top of the hill. He was dressed casually, and like her, his feet were bare. He came and stood next to her, close enough that their arms brushed together.

“You are drawn to its power, aren’t you? As am I.”

Tali glanced at him but said nothing. She knew the childlike thrill behind her eyes gave her away. How could she deny a storm’s magic? She would stand here until the last moment, until the first raindrops chased her back to shelter. A wind playfully ruffled her clothes, just a bare hint of things to come. The wall of rain was advancing fast, but Tali felt no desire to leave. More lightning rippled overhead, closer this time and brighter. Thunder rumbled after it, so deep that Tali felt the vibration of it pass through her like a shiver.

She became aware of Scourge moving close behind her. His voice came from over her shoulder.

“I want to show you something. Watch.”

He stretched his right arm to the sky, opening his hand and splaying his fingers as if trying to touch the clouds. Tali felt him gathering the Force around him. The air charged and tingled, and a halo was forming around Scourge’s fingertips, followed by faint sparks. The air buzzed like a swarm of insects, growing thicker, heavier, and Tali felt the power of it dancing along her scalp and down her lekku. Ripples of power began to criss-cross over Scourge’s palm.

“The fury of nature is immense. More powerful than any Sith. We are but echoes of its majesty. Do you still think the Sith are an aberration? We are as much a part of the Force as you.”

Trails of lightning slithered down Scourge’s arm, multiplying into many divergent tongues that licked across his skin. Scourge clenched his fist as if he could capture the very essence of the storm. Then he lowered his arm, and before Tali had a chance to react, he clasped her hand in his and raised their arms together into the sky.

“Feel it!” His voice was eager, drunk with excitement. 

The energy crawling over Scourge’s hand jumped from his body to hers, then continued circling around both their wrists, entwining them together within a net of power. Tali caught her breath as the sparks traveled closer, and soon her upper arm and then her shoulder were being swallowed in a cage of Force lightning. Scourge wound his free arm around her waist, drawing her against him, and the lightning surged downward, flowing through both their bodies as if they were one. Tali let out her breath and it came out sounding like both a laugh and a sigh, jubilant and breathless. The sensation of being captured together by such power reminded of her of when she had linked with the crystal, except now there was no intermediate between them. What they each felt, they experienced together.

She heard Scourge’s voice close by. “You are like this storm. A glorious promise of power…” his lips brushed her ear, “...eager for release.”

The energy was still building, racing through them with a hum like the beating of wings. Tali opened her eyes, realizing that at some point she had leaned against Scourge and let her head fall back against his chest. She held her other hand before her face. It was glowing, traces of lightning chasing each other across her skin. Scourge let go of her waist and reached for her other hand, threading his fingers in between hers. The lines of power visible on his skin fused with hers like before, and he pulled her arm inward to embrace her again. Tali’s whole body was tingling, from the tips of her lekku down to her toes. The energy began to swell to a crescendo and Scourge tightened his grip. The tingle became a roar, and a surge of pure rapture tore through her. Is this what the Sith felt when they channeled Force lightning? She was gasping for air, laughing -- or was it crying? -- and against the back of her shoulder Scourge’s heart was pounding fast.

The clouds above them finally broke open, a scattering of droplets at first that quickly transformed into a deluge, drenching them both. Tali turned her face to sky, feeling the rain pelting her eyelids and nose, heedless of the wind tearing at her clothes. The Force power that Scourge manifested was dissipating now, flowing back out into ground. 

Scourge loosened his hold around her, but did not break the embrace. Again, she heard his voice against her ear.

“Did you like that, my Jedi?”

Tali turned in his arms to face him. If that had been dark side power coursing through her, it had not felt tainted by evil. It simply felt like pure Force energy, undiluted and unadulterated.

“That was amazing.”

“I thought you might enjoy it.” He took one of her hands and brought it to his lips, his eyes holding hers. “We do not need the Force to share that feeling again.”

It was an invitation.

The rain pelted the ground around them and Tali looked into Scourge’s red eyes. She opened her mouth to make the habitual excuses, but the words wouldn’t come. She didn’t want to say no, she realized. Scourge was leaning closer and Tali felt the urge to meet him halfway. She stretched up onto her toes and slid her arms unsteadily around his neck. I want this. Then it was too late to change her mind, and his mouth was closing over hers, his lips soft and pliant and touched with droplets of rain. Her universe shrunk until it encompassed nothing but that kiss, and she lost herself willingly to it. She rocked on her toes a moment, letting out a breathy laugh as she struggled to keep her balance against him. Scourge pressed his hands against her back to support her, almost lifting her off her feet. His kiss was turning hungry and more demanding. Tali parted her lips, and he breathed into her, his mouth hot and tasting of rain.

He was so much taller than she was that the angle was a strain on her back, and Tali stood on the ends of her toes to better reach him. He separated himself from her and gently set her on her feet again.

“We have a bit of height difference to work around,” Tali said. She gave him an apologetic grin.

“We should be lying down. That would solve the problem.”

Scourge swung an arm underneath her and tipped her off her feet, hoisting her body in the air and pressing her against his chest. Tali slung her arms about his neck and held on. He carried her down the slope towards his room in the barracks.

He had barely stepped inside when he set her down and began to nuzzle her neck, his weight pressing against her. He was heavy, and insistent, which made it an effort to keep her footing. Tali leaned into his embrace. Immediately she was enveloped in him, the leathery scent of armor he had worn that day and that heady essence of power that clung to him. This was all happening so fast, and her brain struggled to keep up. One of Scourge’s hands stroked her lekku, and Tali could feel the cool sting of his metal jewelry against her cheek. He made a noise of frustration and straightened up. At his full height, he towered over her.

Tali was grabbed around the waist and felt herself being lifted into the air, and then Scourge settled her down on top of a nearby desk. Tali found herself eye to eye with Scourge, close enough to distinguish the intricate patterns that decorated his facial jewelry. Scourge had several sharp bone spurs surrounding his eyes and more tendrils draped from his chin than any other Sith Tali could recall having seen. It was a severe and unsympathetic face, and one that reflected the fierce heritage of his species. Yet when Tali drew her hand down his cheek, he leaned into her palm and closed his eyes, releasing a fleeting groan of pleasure at this simple gesture of affection. In that moment, Scourge looked more open and vulnerable than Tali had ever seen him. But then his eyelids slid open, and those red eyes caught hers. _A Nexu cat may purr when it’s content, but that doesn’t make it any less the predator_ , Tali thought.

But that no longer mattered. They were both warriors, both equals. No longer did they face each other across a divide, as they once did. They fought for the same goal. It was much better, Tali thought, to face each other, like this, in the bedroom, than on the field of battle.

Scourge moved between her legs, sliding his arms around her hips. He tugged her closer to the desk’s edge until her body was flush with his.

“We have waited long enough, Tali,” he rumbled against her neck. “Do not keep this forced distance any longer.”

Tali embraced him, sliding her fingers along the back of his head, gently tracing the striations there against his skin. It had been a very long time since she had been this close to someone. _No wonder the Order tries to limit its members from physical contact and emotional attachments_ , she thought. When she had slept with Jorl, the charming Nautolan back at the Academy, it had been a rushed and rebellious affair. She had assumed that being with Scourge would be the same, that it would be a riotous flame that burned hot and was just as soon extinguished. Instead, being with Scourge was like burrowing into the embers of a deep, undying fire, whose heat grew slowly yet exponentially more intense the further she allowed herself to explore. Would it have been this way if she had given in the first time Scourge had propositioned her? No, Tali decided. It was the weight of their shared experience, and the depth of this delicate, newfound trust, which gave substance to their relationship now.

It was this very type of personal bonding that the Jedi Order wanted to disallow. _I don’t care what the Jedi Council thinks._

Scourge pulled back to study her. There was a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and his eyes had a knowing look. No doubt he had glimpsed her thoughts. He reached out and cupped her chin in his hand, holding her so she couldn’t look away. “It’s good to know that you do still desire me.” His hold turned into a caress along her jawline and his voice softened. “Why have you fought it for so long?”

“Things are different now between us.”

“Indeed they are.” Scourge drew one of her lekku over her shoulder and slowly let it pass through his fingers. Then he brought the tip to his lips and slid it into his mouth.

Tali had to make a deliberate effort to draw air into her lungs or else risk becoming light-headed. She breathed out slowly, but it was no use. Scourge met her eyes and smiled. He slid her lekku out of his mouth and gently rubbed the tip with his thumb. “You like that, do you?” His voice sent a shiver down her spine.

“Yes,” she heard herself whisper. Her heart was skipping in her chest.

Scourge closed his eyes. “Your emotions are a feast.” His eyelids slid back open. “It pains me when you hide them.” The pupils were wide and dark, with only the barest ring of red around them. “And to think that we have only just begun.”

Scourge was still soaked from the rain, and Tali could see the deep red of his skin through the fabric of his shirt. She wanted to feel that skin beneath her fingertips, like she had once before, so long ago, that day outside the cave on Tython. She slid her hands under the open neckline of his collar and across his wide shoulders. The edges of his shirt fell free as her hands moved down his arms, feeling the hard swell of the muscles there, tight and corded and larger than her hands could encompass. Scourge unfastened the lower half of his shirt and let it flutter to the ground. In the dim light of the room, his skin was a dusky shade of red, her pale fingers a contrast as they trailed down his arms.

“Ever since the beginning,” Scourge said, “you have worked to close your mind to me. Let go.” He breathed deep. _“Let me in.”_ His hands captured her face, and his mouth closed over hers once again. Tali was swept up in a flood of emotion then, a wave of need and primal hunger, and she realized that this sudden onslaught was coming from Scourge himself. It energized her, igniting her own desire, and it was at that moment that she finally understood what it meant for a Sith to draw on the powerful emotions of another.

Heat coiled in her belly, so tight now that it threatened to snap, and Tali’s breath grew ragged. Scourge’s mouth moved hot against her ear, the barest flicker of his tongue making that coil within her jerk involuntarily.

“What is it that excites you so much, my Jedi?” Scourge whispered. “Is it the thought of knowing me fully?” The hand that rested on her shoulder began questing downward, tracing the slope of her chest and pausing there. Then his fingers slipped under her thin undershirt and he slid it up and over her head. “Is it the thought of yourself, naked before me? Or,” he whispered, his mouth tracing her jawline and coming to brush against her lips, “is it the thought of me possessing you at long last?”

“All of it,” she spoke against his lips, the words tumbling out fast and breathless. “All of it.”

His mouth closed over hers.

Then, she felt herself being lifted, his hands holding her up and her legs straddling his middle. Her world tilted and she was being laid down on the mattress, Scourge’s body coming down to press against hers. “I will have you,” Scourge said, “and I will not be through with you until you have had your fill of me.”

Tali could only murmur in compliance, all organized thought long since shattered. She was ready to assent to whatever he commanded, eager even, to let him take her into unexplored territory. _Until you have had your fill of me._

_Yes,_ she thought. _Fill me._

Perhaps she had muttered aloud, or maybe Scourge had simply plucked the thought from her mind. Scourge made a noise of pleasure and nuzzled her breast. “Oh I will,” he answered, his voice turning ragged. “More than you can imagine.”

00o00

In the early hours of dawn, Tali crept back into her room in the barracks. She felt as rubbery as a doll, heavy and serene and just a bit dazed. Apparently, she had been made clumsy as well, because she bumped into the end of her cot as she tried to approach it. So much for silently slipping back into bed.

“Wh-” Kira stirred on her cot. “Tali, is that you?”

“Nothing, just go back to sleep.”

Her insistence on dropping the subject only made Kira more suspicious. A small bed lamp flipped on by Kira’s shoulder.

“You ok?” For a moment Kira just stared at her. “Wait a minute. Is this what I think it is?”

Tali could only imagine her appearance. Likely she looked flushed and guilty. “I told you. It’s nothing. I’m just going back to bed.”

“Right. ‘Cause you weren’t in your bed before. I’m thinking...you were in someone else’s bed.”

Tali tried to make a noise of incredulity, but instead it came out more like a giddy laugh. “We can talk in the morning. Right now I’m exhausted.” _And rather sore in certain places,_ she thought. _Deliciously sore._ She stifled another giggle.

“Ok,” Kira slid back into bed, but before the light blinked out, Tali caught her staring at the ceiling and mouthing, _I can’t believe it._

Tali curled up on her cot. Her last thought before falling into a deep slumber was, _I can’t believe it either._


	24. Chapter 24

Scourge hadn’t gone far into the crypt-like corridors of the Dread Master’s old sanctum when he and Tali discovered that it was not abandoned after all. The first man they encountered threw himself at Scourge with the kind of fearless zeal that only the deranged possess, and a second charged at Tali screaming an incomprehensible battle cry. Scourge cut through the man easily, and then turned to see that Tali had done the same to the man’s comrade.

“That was interesting.” Tali shot him a raised eyebrow.

“There will be more further in,” Scourge said. “Keep one alive after you have dispatched the others. I want to interrogate him.”

Tali shot him a wary look, but then nodded.

Around the corner they found three more guards. Like the first group, they didn’t even attempt to engage Scourge or Tali in conversation, they simply attacked with the same crazed desperation as the others. Tali leapt towards the first two, and Scourge picked up the straggler that came around the corner last, hoisting him in the air with the Force. It took only a few moments for Tali to dispatch her attackers.

“Well, they certainly aren’t the Dread Masters’ best and brightest, are they?” The blade of her lightsaber retreated into the hilt with a hiss, and she nodded in the direction of the third man.

“He’s starting to turn blue.”

Scourge lessoned his hold, but still kept the man suspended. “Maybe their incompetence is why they were left behind.”

“Maybe.” Tali turned to their prisoner. “Has Lord Tagriss been here? Where are your masters?”

The man made a gurgling noise and then spat on the ground. “Everything will be cleansed in blood and in fire!” he yelled. The man’s voice echoed loudly in the confined hallway.

Scourge shook his head. “You’re not going to get anything out of him that way.”

“Scourge,” she said, warningly. “I won’t let you tort-”

“That won’t be necessary either.”

Scourge dropped the man to the ground. He squirmed like a beetle trapped on its back, trying to rise against the invisible hand that still restrained him, but he remained pinned flat. It was strange there was no fear on this man for Scourge to feed off of. Determination clung to him though, along with an uncompromising sense of duty that Scourge had only encountered among the most severely indoctrinated slaves. Had the Dread Masters been raising slaves from birth? It seemed unlikely. They had only been freed from Belsavis prison a few years ago.

Scourge touched the man’s mind. He met no resistance, no barriers, not even any sense of acknowledgement from the man that his thoughts had been breached. Annoyed, Scourge pushed deeper, until soon he was rifling indiscriminately through the man’s consciousness. There was nothing. The man’s mind was devoid of all self-awareness or thought. A foreboding crept over Scourge. There was only one force in the galaxy that had that kind of power.

Suddenly, Scourge was not alone. There was a presence here in the man’s empty head that hadn’t existed moments before. Pressure began against the recesses of Scourge’s mind, creeping and cold. The pressure increased, becoming tighter and more focused, and Scourge got the disturbing image of a stick prying under a lid. Hurriedly, Scourge retreated, feeling like a fugitive scurrying away from a spotlight, pulling back and locking his mind to the intruder. But it was too late.

A female voice, sultry and low, spoke into his head.

_So...it is fear you seek? Then fear you shall have._

After three hundred years of immortality, there was little that Scourge was afraid of. He could heal from injury, death could not take him, and he had little which could be used against him. In the depths of Scourge’s most private thoughts, however, he knew that wasn’t entirely true. There was something, something that caused even Scourge to break out in a cold sweat at night, a fear so old that Scourge had long ago forced it into submission. He backed away from that thought now, watching in horror as it rose up in his mind like a behemoth no longer contained. It hurled toward him, a creature long since denied, and Scourge threw every barrier he had around him, buckling down for the tempest to come.

And then it was there.

Scourge saw himself, dismembered, in agony, his body far beyond what any science or dark alchemy could repair. He was scattered and broken, yet still unable to die, trapped instead in a state of living that was not living, a death that had been stalled before it could finish. The agony endured, unbearable, unending, with Scourge only too aware of every scattered, obliterated piece of him, his consciousness unable to let go. He would have screamed, but he had no voice to do so.

“Scourge! Scourge!”

This was a different voice, a familiar one. Scourge gasped for air, his eyes shut tight, a lump lodged in his throat. His ears were ringing. He blinked and saw the floor beneath him, and realized he was on his hands and knees.

“Oh, thank the stars!” Tali was hunched over him, her voice tremulous and pained. “Are you all right? You were..you were screaming...l...I thought you would never stop.”

“One of the Dread Masters,” Scourge said, his voice sounding hoarse and weak, “she was there, in that man’s head. She saw me. She knows.”

“That can’t be good.”

“No,” Scourge said. He struggled to sit up, frustrated with the way his arms shook. “She destroyed that guard’s mind. All of it. The Dread Masters are more powerful than we realized.”

Her hands were still on his shoulders, and she was hunched so that she was level with him. Normally Scourge would have shrugged off such affections as a sign of coddling, but instead he found her touch reassuring. He remained still a moment longer, relishing the feel of Tali’s arms around him. Her distress was palpable, and Scourge suspected that her wanting physical contact with him was as much to comfort to herself as well.

Still, they had come here on a mission, and so they had to push on. Scourge pulled himself to his feet. The guard lay dead now on the floor. The Dread master’s presence had probably destroyed what little had been left of him.

“Let’s be done with this.”

The Dread Masters had left behind a few other surprises, droids and malformed creatures as well as the men in their thrall. Eventually, he and Tali came upon a control room with a holoterminal. They traced the last communication made from that post and found their next destination. Lord Tagriss had fled to the remote, icy planet of Ilum.

“We’re getting closer,” Tali said.

Scourge nodded. “I think we will find a far more substantial base there.”

Back at the ship, Tali spent the rest of the evening in discussion with Master Gend through holocall. Scourge tried to get involved in a holo documentary that Rusk had lent him, but his thoughts felt restless and scattered. He could still hear that voice, that horrible knowing voice, mocking him in his head. And worse of all, he couldn’t shake the feeling of unease which lingered at the edges of every thought. Surely the vision the Dread Master had sent him was simply a fear plucked from his mind, designed to torment him and nothing more. _What if it were a premonition?_ Scourge rubbed his forehead as if he could dislodge the thought. At last he gave up and lay down on his cot to try and get some sleep.

Even in his dreams, the disquiet he had felt earlier returned to stalk him. Normal dreams turned twisted and strange, and eventually his apprehension built into fear. The fear swelled into outright terror, until at last Scourge awoke in a sweat, the images from his dream still lingering.

_Shackles. Frigid cold. Torture._

The last time he had had a vision, he had believed so unfailingly in it that it had changed his life. He had betrayed allies for that vision. He had turned traitor to his Emperor. And the vision had come true.

Had this been a dream or a vision?

Scourge was shaken from his thoughts by a surge of energy through the Force, originating from somewhere on the ship. He stood up, instinct taking over, and called his lightsaber from across the room into his hand. He paused to reach out and sense the source. A flurry of emotion. Startlement and fear. Had an assassin snuck aboard the ship? Scourge burst out from his room and headed down the hallway.

He came to a halt outside Tali’s door. He about to pry the door open with the Force, when the surge of emotion was cut off, suddenly and completely, like a curtain falling across a stage. Had Tali simply shut down the flow of her feelings, or had something happened to her? Scourge hesitated and then pounded his fist on the door.

It slid open immediately, and Tali’s face appeared.

“What is go--hey, whoa. You can put that away.” She gestured at his lightsaber. 

Scourge complied. “No one has attacked you? There wasn’t an intruder?”

“What? No...no, of course not.” She paused and then understanding flitted across her face. “I just had a bad dream. You know, just a dream.” She shrugged, looking apologetic, and maybe a bit embarrassed.

 _What kind of bad dream?_ Scourge wanted to ask. It was too much of a coincidence. “I was awoken by a nightmare as well, just moments before you.”

“Really?” She appeared to notice that he was still standing in the middle of the hallway. “Would you like to come in?” She stepped back and made room for Scourge to pass through the doorway. It swished shut behind him.

Tali remained in the center of the room, hugging herself and rubbing the back of her arms. Scourge didn’t think she even realized she was doing it. For something that was “just a dream” it was having a noticeable effect on her.

“Dread Masters, you think?” she said quietly.

“I have no doubt.”

A sigh escaped her then and her hand fluttered to her forehead. “The visions they send are horrid.” Her shoulders rose and fell with another silent breath. Scourge realized that it was taking her some effort to control her distress. “Lightsaber duels I can handle. But mind games are a whole different animal.” Her voice dropped low. “I hate it.”

She looked up at him, an expectant look on her face. “Come here a moment, will you?”

Curious, Scourge stepped forward, then closer still as she gestured for him to keep going. When he was at last standing right before her, she walked into his arms and pressed herself against him. “That’s better,” she murmured against his chest.

In all of Scourge’s three hundred years, no one had ever sought comfort from him. For a moment, he was bewildered, but then he embraced her, pulling her tighter against him.

“Safe in the arms of a Sith, are you?” He spoke into her ear, unable to keep the surprise -- and yes, a bit of mischievousness -- from his voice.

“Not any Sith. Only you.” She still hadn’t let go.

Centuries of habit prompted him to admonish her for her misplaced trust, but the words died on his lips before he could say them. Instead, something quite different emerged.

“I will fight with you, for you, always. But I cannot protect you from dreams.” He reached down and took her chin in his hand, lifting her face towards his. “I can, however, help you forget them.”

“Good,” she said. “Because it’s not your fighting skills that I need now, Scourge.” She stretched up on her tip toes and kissed him.

_So eager,_ Scourge thought. A new part of him awoke, his nightmare rapidly fading away now that his body had other sensations to occupy it. There was no better way to erase a bad memory. Tali needed little coaxing. Her emotions flowed unhindered, and Scourge was an empty vessel, thirsty with yearning, ready to indulge until he was filled to the brim. Longing, desire -- Tali had held back for so long that she was overflowing, and Scourge soaked up every last drop. He gave as well as received, for he was keen to amplify such bounty, and there was nothing more satisfying than seeing Tali reach undiscovered heights of passion and knowing that it was he who had taken her there.

Their union was more than just an exploration of pleasure and sensuality. As he climbed ever higher, a new sensation began to steal into Scourge’s consciousness. He regarded it first with curiosity and then with wonderment. Ecstasy broke over him, cresting and flowing away as it does, but this new feeling remained, warming him even after the fires had faded to embers. He felt calm, fulfilled, peaceful even, and for the first time in his life, the galaxy ceased to be a fearful, dangerous place. The hypervigilance which he took for granted as a normal state of being temporarily left him, and a feeling of security replaced it. He was one with time. He _belonged._

Tali was draped across his chest, drifting into slumber, and Scourge lay in her bed analyzing the feeling. He knew he was infatuated with Tali; he had been for a long time. But now he realized something else, something he had once been incapable of. He realized that what he was feeling was love.

00o00

Tali sat in the conference room of her ship, poring over a projection map of the surrounding area. Ilum was a land of icy crags and cliffs, many of which hid deep crystal caves. She suspected that Lord Tagriss had converted one of these caves into a bunker, and she knew they were close. Scourge was out with Tee-seven, doing a preliminary survey of the terrain. There was only so much to be learned from a map. Still, Tali found herself scanning it again and again, wondering if there was some clue here hidden among the data.

She heard the swish of the airlock and felt the chill of Ilum’s ever freezing temperatures drifting down the hall. A moment later Scourge entered, carrying that crisp, wintery scent on his clothes. He and Tee-seven had investigated several plateaus and cliff formations, and they had found a likely candidate. After they had finished making their report, Tee-seven rolled away, but Scourge remained.

“I discovered something else among the ice,” he said.

“Oh?”

He reached into a pocket and pulled out an object. He held it inside his hand, and then he extended his arm towards her, opening his palm.

It was a crystal, the kind which could be used to imbue a lightsaber, and it was a brilliant shade of rose-pink. Tali had been expected something else, anything else really, and for a moment, she stared at it, trying to understand what it was. A clue to the enemy’s location?

“I happened to find it,” Scourge said, “and I thought the color suited you.”

Tali looked up at Scourge, realizing now the meaning of this gesture. Scourge was offering her a gift.

“It is not red,” he continued, “but red makes up a part of it. Like you, who has the heart of a Sith, if not the name of one. You are are too entrenched in the light, but you carry with you the grain of Sith teachings.”

Scourge had put a lot of consideration into this, Tali realized, and this was no ordinary gift. She reached out and took the crystal, feeling it cold and smooth in her palm. She had rarely seen such an unusual color.

“Thank you Scourge. It’s stunning.” She smiled at him.

“I’m pleased that you like it.”

“I love it.” Was pink an appropriate color for a Jedi? It was an unconventional color perhaps, but she was, after all, an unconventional Jedi. “You’re right. It’s perfect for me.”

He nodded to her, looking--well, did he actually look almost _happy?_ He lingered for a moment and then left.

Tali stared at the crystal. _Scourge has given me a gift._ She couldn’t wait to put it to use.


	25. Chapter 25

Tali stood at the apex of a hill, looking down at the distant ridge where Lord Tagriss’s bunker was hidden. It was impossible from here to see the narrow path that led to the blast doors, but Tee-seven’s scans had assured her that it was there. From her vantage point it looked like an avalanche had covered the entire cliff wall. It was perfect cover.

“Hey Kira? Hand me the macrobinoculars, will you? They’re in my bag.”

“Sure thing, boss.”

Tali continued scanning the base below for signs of biological activity. She was getting nothing. She doubted it was abandoned though, probably just shielded well. Behind her Tali heard Kira rummaging around. There was a clink and then a moment of silence.

“Um...what is this?”

“What is what?” Tali turned around to see that Kira was holding a small vial filled with pink liquid. She recognized it as the vial her old friend Shom Durq had sold to her months ago, back during her visit to her childhood neighborhood on Coruscant. She had completely forgotten about it.

Kira was studying the label. “‘Bigger Vigor.’” she read. “Oh, you can’t be serious.” She continued reading aloud. ‘ _Enhance your performance with just one sip!_ '” She looked up and gave Tali a smirk. “What do you need this for? Oh wait...” She trailed off and gave Scourge a side-long glance.

“This matter has nothing to do with me,” Scourge cut in. “I assure you.”

Tali threw out her hands. “Guys, guys, slow down. A friend of mine on Coruscant sells all this stuff. Times are tough for him, so I bought something to help him out. I didn’t even--does the label really say that on it?”

“Sure does.” Kira handed it over.

Tali stared at it. “Well, I thought it was just for athletics and combat and stuff. Basic is not Shom’s first language. He might not get that it can be interpreted, you know...other ways.”

Tali looked up at Kira and Scourge. Kira was obviously trying to hold back laughter, while Scourge just raised an eyebrow in her direction. She grinned.

“We should get back to the matter at hand,” Scourge said.

“Right.” Tali grabbed the binoculars out of her bag herself and checked the ridge. There was still no sign of any guards, and hadn’t been for the last twelve hours. Earlier, Tee-seven had cut the underground lines powering the sensors buried by the entrance.

“All right. We’re ready to head out.” Tali dropped the binoculars and the vial back in her bag and swung it over her back.

With Tee-seven strapped in behind her, Tali, Scourge and Kira rode their speeders down the hillside and around a few rock formations, finally parking out of sight of the entrance so they could approach on foot. Indeed, the doorway was well hidden beyond a long channel of ice and rock, so tight it was almost a tunnel. It was open to the sky, but barely, which made Tali uneasy. Still, they encountered no resistance.

Tee-seven sliced the door codes to get them inside, and then stayed behind at the door panel to remain connected to the bunker’s security system. Tee-seven remotely disabled the motion and heat detection sensors while Tali threw blasts of Force power at any cameras they passed by. Like other military style bunkers Tali had seen on Ilum, this one was roughly hewed out of solid rock, the walls uneven and chipped. They passed enough weapons stockpiles and ammunition crates to power a small army. Tali started to feel increasingly uneasy the further in they went. They found no guards, and while the place was wired up to the extreme in security measures, it appeared to be otherwise abandoned. They passed an eerily empty barracks, with cots neatly made and personal effects stashed in cubbies, as if all the soldiers here had simultaneously gone on break and never returned. At the end of the hall they came upon another blast door.

Tali tapped her wrist comm. “Tee-seven? See if you can get this door open.”

A moment later, the doors began to slide apart with a groan. Through the crack in the doors, Tali spotted a long barrel and recognized the bright flash of light a split second after it went off.

“Turrets!” she yelled.

The doors widened, revealing three turrets in total, all of which fired the instant they had clearance for a shot. Several bolts sparked off of Tali’s lightsaber, and beside her, Tali saw Kira’s double-bladed weapon spinning to block even more. Over her head sailed a blur of red, and Tali recognized Scourge’s lightsaber spinning freely through the air. The first turret was sliced in half, giving Tali the opening she needed to throw her own blade at the second turret, while Scourge made another throw to take out the third.

“Well,” Kira said, catching her breath. “Nothing like a little surprise to keep you on your toes.”

They entered the room and stepped into another world. Here, the floors were inlaid with marble in shades of cream and rose, and the walls were decorated in familiar patterns. A pedestal nearby contained the remains of a crystal centerpiece, and in the room’s corners, there were four statues in repose.

“This was a Jedi temple,” Tali said. To see the Jedi’s history in the hands of a Sith like Lord Tagriss sickened her. Whatever light side energy which had once infused this place was now gone. A feeling of dirtiness and corruption was all that lingered here now.

“Tali, look.” Kira had picked up a datapad from a nearby table and handed it toTali. It was labeled, “Seed Datalog 01” but was otherwise encrypted. Tali dropped it in her bag.

Further inside, they found a small library filled with holorecordings. Strangely, the walls here were pockmarked with blaster fire and rock dust, making it apparent that the fight had been recent.

“Unrest in the ranks?” Tali asked.

Scourge was examining the door. “Someone barricaded themselves in, but eventually the attackers broke through.”

“Why are there no bodies?” The whole thing made no sense.

They passed room after empty room, each one showing more signs of a recent scuffle. A headache was pressing around the edges of Tali’s mind, and a strange, formless sense of foreboding crept over her. It was coming strongest from a hallway ahead. They turned the corner and nearly tripped over a thick, twisted tree root, which appeared to have burst out of a nearby wall and had slithered its way halfway down the corridor. It was covered in the slimey cybernetic nodules of Seed corruption. At the end of the hall was a staircase, with another door, spray painted with a symbol of a skull and stenciled with the words, “Danger! No admittance.”

“Sounds like an invitation to me,” Kira said with a grin.

It was just like Kira to try and keep the mood light, but Tali was unable to trade any banter tonight. A creeping fear was overtaking her. Was Kira just hiding her apprehension well, or was Tali the only one being affected? Personal experience as a host for the Seed growths would certainly make anyone cautious, right? Tali glanced at Scourge. He had been unusually quiet since they had entered this place.

Scourge caught her eye and must have interpreted her look as an unspoken command.

“I’ll get the door,” he said. A moment later a smoking, melted hole was all that was left of the door panel. One ram with his shoulder and the door broke open the rest of way.

The room inside was pitch dark except for a series of tiny red lights lining the walls along the ceiling. The moment Scourge set foot past the threshold a green light began blinking from a terminal next to them and a voice came out of a speaker overhead.

_Emergency breech. Passcode required. Alarm sounding in three seconds._

There was a blinding flash of light as Scourge drew his lightsaber and smashed at the terminal. The voice began to rotate rapidly through a series of commands.

_Climate control settings--level one--shields at full pow--locking mechanism engag--level two--Air filtration exhaust sys--_

Scourge was stabbing frantically at the terminal.

_\--shields powering down--_

There was a spray of sparks and the terminal went silent. At the same time, the red lights around the room began to blink out, accompanied by a soft swish as each one disappeared. Suddenly, Tali could feel a multitude of lifeforms through the Force.

“Oh oh,” she said.

Through the darkness Tali felt a breeze rushing towards her, and she drew her lightsaber. In its pink illumination, a creature with fangs as long as her fingers appeared, launching itself at her face.

Too many things happened at once. Scourge roared, Kira was thrown backwards, and a wall was thrown into Tali’s face as she too toppled over. Tali pushed off of it and righted herself just as something hurled into her back, scraping lines of fiery pain across her shoulder blades. She sliced at claws and scaled flesh, the windowless room echoing with inhuman shrieks. A growl erupted next to Tali’s ear and she thrust an elbow at it, feeling teeth scrape against her arm as something was pushed away. Ahead of her, she spotted Scourge driving forward into the room, a silhouette in the red glow of his twirling lightsaber, wading through bodies as he went. Tali thrust her weapon into the warm cavity of something close by and it let out a groan like the earth rumbling in pain. Tali spun to meet attacker after attacker, until finally she was waving her saber before her face, waiting for the next assault that never came.

“Oh my word,” Tali gasped, her breath catching in her throat. “What was all that?”

“I think we found Lord Tagriss’s menagerie of mutated pets,” Scourge said. With his lightsaber, he lit the face of a hideous creature with an oversized jaw, its head covered in cybernetics. Tali realized the head Scourge was holding wasn’t attached to a body.

Tali looked away. “I’ve seen enough.”

Scourge shrugged and dropped it. “There’s another doorway through here.” Scourge was already walking away.

“Hey, wait!” Kira called, “How about we, you know, find a light or something? I don’t really like playing hide and seek with monsters.”

Tali’s earpiece crackled and Tee-seven beeped into her ear. “Tee-seven // found ceiling lamps // Turning on now!”

“I don’t want to see this,” Tali muttered. The lights came up, stabbing Tali in the eyes like needles. She covered her face and then peered out through her shaded hand. “Yup, just as bad as I imagined.”

They picked their way through bodies into the next room. It too was filled with energy-shielded holding cells, except these ones weren’t holding animals.

“Looks like we found the missing soldiers.” Kira’s voice was subdued.

The soldiers were alive, but that was the only charitable thing that could be said about them. If it weren't for the imperial military uniforms each was wearing, Tali might have thought them nothing more than crazed ruffians. As she walked through the room, they threw themselves at the energy barriers, snarling like animals, bouncing off again and again, as if they had no comprehension or rational thought. Tali leaned closer to to look at a man with his face pressed against the shield, and his mouth dropped open unnaturally wide. Drool slid down his chin and he gnawed uselessly at the barrier. There was a thick, oily metal module sunken into the skin of his cheek. Tali backed away. Is this what would have happened to her if Doc hadn’t removed that the nodule from her leg?

“These men have been exposed to the Seed, probably as some kind of experimentation,” she said. It was impossible to keep the horror from her tone.

“I agree,” Scourge said.

‘If we find Tagriss,” Kira said, “I say we shove him into one of these cells to hob nob with his creations.”

Scourge let out a low chuckle. “Not very Jedi-like of you.”

“Hey, a girl can dream, can’t I?”

Tali brushed shoulders with Kira and leaned in as she walked by. “I’ll help you shove him in there.”

So far, they had conquered everything that Tagriss’s bunker had thrown at them, yet they still had not found Tagriss himself. Tali crept down the next hallway behind Scourge, careful to step over some cybernetic tree roots that had burst up through the floor. Behind her, Kira brought up the rear.

“Is Tagriss even-”

Scourge threw up a hand for silence, cutting off Tali’s question.

“Listen,” he quietly.

Up ahead was a closed door. A light above it flickered unsteadily, alternating between red and green. From the other side Tali could hear a faint keening whine. A malfunctioning droid? The keening suddenly dropped in pitch, becoming a rumble that was not unlike a growl, and then just as unexpectedly drove back up into a screeching wail, louder than anything they had heard thus far.

“That sounds...familiar,” Kira said from behind her.

“It sounds like a creature we encountered in the Arcanum,” Tali said. “One we heard but never saw.”

“Can we go around?”

“No,” Scourge answered. “There’s no way but forward.” He lit his lightsaber and then lunged ahead, carving a hole in the door. Tali stepped up and joined him, dragging her blade through the metal until it met with Scourge’s in a rough circle. Scourge punched at the metal inside the circle and it fell through with a clang.

Inside was a mountain of garbage piled in the center of the room, nearly high enough to reach the vaulted ceiling. A few particularly sinuous tree roots had slithered from out of the depths of the trash heap, twisting across the floor in agonized formations.

“Ugh,” Tali drew her arm in front of her nose. “Figures those horrid tree things would find garbage a prime place to grow in.”

Scourge picked his way across the floor, his lightsaber still drawn and his eyes scanning the room. “Something is alive in here,” he said. “Something in here made that noise.”

“Harmless scavengers, maybe?” With the high ceiling sounds could easily be distorted.

“Yeah…” Kira said. “Scavengers with super creepy wails…”

Tali started to check out the upper walls, but her eyes were drawn back down to her feet, where the tree roots looped and plunged across the floor. Their dramatic growths almost gave them the illusion of movement, as if they were-

“Scourge! Watch out!”

A root sprung to life and slithered around Scourge’s ankles, jerking him off his feet and launching him into the air.

Kira swore loudly. “They’re tentacles! Get away!”

The pile that Tali had taken for garbage erupted into a flailing mass of arms, while a huge head emerged from the middle, screeching loudly enough to hurt Tali’s ears. Tali searched the ceiling for Scourge and found him being whipped around in the air above her, while below him, the creature blinked open several bulbous eyes. The top of the mound split in half like a melon cracking open, revealing rows of tiny, sharp teeth.

Tali tried to aim her lightsaber for a throw, but the arms were moving so erratically, she couldn’t be certain that she wouldn’t hit Scourge by mistake. Kira was screaming something about a hose and buckets, but Tali couldn’t see her through the commotion.

Just then a stream of bluish sludge appeared from the far side of the room, shooting like jet spray at the creature’s head. Through the waving tentacles, Tali caught sight of Kira gripping a hose and aiming it. A hissing screech burst from the gaping mouth, and for a second all the tentacles froze, trembling in place in the air. Tali launched her lightsaber at the tentacle that was holding Scourge and severed it. Scourge fell to the ground.

“Out through here!” Kira pointed upwards at a balcony where there was a door. Scourge staggered to his feet and made a running leap. Tali followed, and the three of them dropped onto the balcony. Scourge let out a roar, thrust his hand forward, and the door blew open. Tali was the last one to tumble through. Scourge yanked her aside, dashed forward, and slammed the door shut, then pulled her against him as he pressed back against the wall. There was a thudding against the door.

They were in another dark and windowless room. Tali’s heart was pounding so forcefully that the pulsing had reached her ears. Scourge was breathing raggedly behind her, and she felt the steady rise and fall of his abdomen as he held her against him.

“Everybody all right?” Tali asked.

“Yeah,” Kira said from nearby.

“Scourge?”

“Fine now.”

Scourge’s arms remained tight around Tali’s waist. Tali could still see in her mind the horrid image of Scourge being flung side to side by the waving tentacle. She shook her head to dispel the memory and covered his hands with hers, giving them a squeeze. He released her slowly, one hand dragging a faint pressure across her lower back as he pulled away.

Through the blackness Tali could make out some lumpy shapes as well as a shiny surface overheard.

“Light switch anyone?”

“Got one here I think,” Kira called out.

There was a click, then an answering hum, and the shiny objects on the ceiling began to glow, gradually revealing themselves to be low hanging overhead lights.

Beside her, Tali felt a surge of emotion from Scourge, a mixture of resignation, despair and a sickening lurch of recognition. For a moment, the intensity of it startled her, and Tali turned towards Scourge in surprise. His body had stilled and his face was impassive, yet his eyes darted frantically about the room. Tali realized then that there was a deeper, underlying emotion threaded through all of this.

Fear.

This was an empty room. What was here that could frighten Scourge?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, is everyone keeping up on the latest expansion news? From a fanfic standpoint I'm wondering how this new timeline is going to affect things. I've got another story I've been slowly working on for a while and now it's basically been rendered AU. I'm checking the official forums daily for news!


	26. Chapter 26

Ever since he had stepped foot on Ilum, Scourge had been feeling uneasy. He couldn’t shake the images from the dream.

_Cold. Hopeless. Imprisoned._

He was certain now that his dream pointed to Ilum. Were the Dread Masters messing with his head, choosing images that coincided with events that were already likely, just to unnerve him? Or had the dream not been from the Dread Masters at all? Could it have been a true vision instead? Either way, Scourge decided, he would be on guard.

As they traversed Tagriss’s bunker, Scourge tried to anticipate the source of the danger he felt. The jail cells full of cybernetic creatures and crazed soldiers they had come across were not threat enough. They themselves were captives here, taken in by a greater mastermind. The tentacled creature had given them a fight, but they had escaped relatively quickly and with little injury. It had to be Tagriss then.

Scourge’s dream had been vague, but all along he had assumed that the location depicted was a prison. But then they stumbled into Tagriss’s lab.

There was a feeling of hopelessness and pain that lingered here even still. For a moment, Scourge saw the room as it had been in the recent past: The animals squealing in filthy cages; men strapped to tables with restraining belts, their screams throwing echoes off the walls. The drains in the floor, the contraptions covered in wires...

_I will not be some Sith experiment. Not again._   


_Yes, you will,_ a voice whispered. _This must be the prison you saw._ A new fear crept into his consciousness.

He thought of the mad soldiers, slavering like animals in those lightless cells. Tagriss had experimented on his own men, letting the Seed corrupt them. Their bodies had been deformed, covered in cybernetic nodules which appeared to have erupted through their skin from the inside. Exposure to the Seed had warped their minds too, however, making them useless as soldiers. Would eternity seem less burdensome if he had no rational mind left to contemplate it? Or would his mind heal as well, leaving him fully aware of every moment of captivity?

Scourge waved away Tali’s questions. No, he was fine. No, he had nothing else to say. Tali shrugged, finally giving up, and she and Kira wandered around the lab, peering into tanks and rifling through items on Tagriss’s desk.  
Scourge stood in the middle of the room, unable to move, having second thoughts. Tali needed to know what his vision entailed. What he was sure would happen here. He made his way over to her and she looked up.

“There’s something I need to tell you.”

She was looking at him expectantly, those blue as blue eyes tempting him to come clean with all of it, not just the dream, but the failed cure as well. He looked away. “I may not make it out of this place with you.”

She laid a hand on his arm and tugged, trying to get him to face her. “What are you talking about?”

“I had a dream...maybe a vision. I’m going to be captured here.” He did look at her then. Seeing her pained face gave Scourge an uncomfortable pressure in his chest. “You may not be able to change that outcome. Do as your Jedi taught you. End Tagriss. Destroy the Seed. You are the hope of the galaxy.”

“Scourge! You sound like some holo-drama. It was just a dream. The Dread Masters showed me terrible things too. You can’t believe _anything_ they do or say.”

“You were a vision, remember.” He reached out and cupped her cheek in his hand. “Yet, here you are. Real.” His hand trailed away. He needed to steel himself for the battle ahead. “I’ve seen enough of this place. Let us move on.”

Tali’s hand dropped away from his arm. Scourge could still feel her eyes on his back as he walked away.

00o00

Scourge met Tagriss blade to blade in another jarring impact, and for a second Tagriss’s twisted grin was lit up in the red glow of their clashing weapons.

They had found Tagriss in a huge domed chamber, probably a Jedi Council hall back when this place had been a temple. He had been huddled over an altar at the far end of the room, in the midst of some Sith ritual. Throughout the room, four enormous power crystals were distributed in a symmetrical pattern, radiating heat and dark energy. The floor had flooded with melted ice from the walls and ceiling, and Scourge could feel the cold water seeping into his boots. Once that would not have fazed him, but now it was a distraction.

Tagriss made a sudden feint, almost costing Scourge a wounding blow, but Scourge responded with increased fervor. That smug smile on Tagriss’s face drove Scourge’s anger, and he knew he would take great pleasure in wiping it from the man’s ugly, scarred face.

Behind Tagriss, Scourge spotted Kira slipping unseen towards the room’s altar, where another Seed, the last one left, hung suspended. The Seed rotated slowly in midair, caged between two metal posts, soaking in the energy from the room’s four crystals. Nearby, in the darker recesses of the room’s interior, Tali was scrambling up the side of one of the power crystals in an attempt to dismantle or redirect its power.

Tagriss was using the crystals to feed the Seed even greater power, and Scourge suspected that he was then siphoning energy from the Seed to feed himself. What else could explain Tagriss’s uncanny reflexes and sudden bursts of strength? It was beyond what a normal Sith should possess. Discouragement, even dismay, clouded Scourge’s thoughts. Tagriss had accumulated too much fuel from the Seed, and Scourge would not be enough to stop him. The weight of this realization drained his stamina and slowed his hand. This whole battle was destined to end in defeat.

Scourge’s back bumped up against the altar, and there was the Seed, so close he could have touched it, giving off its pulsing glow, fear and misery radiating off of it. Realization hit Scourge, and he understood then that these feelings of hopelessness were not his own at all. The Seed had tainted his thoughts.

“You insect!” Scourge gathered this newfound rage and directed it outward at Tagriss, pushing him down the steps of the altar’s platform and nearly onto the flooded floor. Behind Tagriss, Tali used her lightsaber to slice off the top of one of the crystals, and as the piece fell, Scourge noticed something that looked like a small antennae fall with it. Instantly, the power surge he had felt coming from that crystal ceased. Tali jumped to the ground and began racing to the next one.

Without warning, Tagriss let out a roar, and Scourge reacted, expecting to block an attack coming his way. Instead, Tagriss whirled around, and Scourge saw Kira speeding away across the room, Seed in hand. Tagriss reached out with the Force and tried to reel her back, but Kira’s legs transformed into a blur as she pushed herself into a Force-enhanced run, throwing off Tagriss’s aim.

Scourge raised his lightsaber for a final thrust. The time was now, while Tagriss’s attention was elsewhere. He raised his saber, but a bubble of Force energy erupted around Tagriss just as Scourge’s blade gained impact. There was a spark of light as the two sources of power collided, and Scourge was thrown backwards, his lightsaber knocked from his hand. Above him, Tagriss began to rise into the air, gathering an enormous well of power that Scourge could see as a vaguely churning cloud overhead.

Scourge thought the display was intended for him, until he heard Tali’s desperate cry.

“Run Kira!” she yelled. Scourge saw Tali throw out her hand, and a blast of Force power lifted Kira off of her feet as she was propelled forward across the floor and out the room’s archway. Scourge didn’t get a chance to see if Kira was able to keep on running, because his vision became awash with white as Force lightning burst out from the energy cloud.

Scourge had seen such acts of Force power before, and he knew what was coming. With the flooded floor, the deluge of Force lightning released from the cloud would electrify everything in the room. Tali was out there, under the cloud, in the water. Scourge didn’t think, he simply acted, throwing out his hand and yanking Tali towards him from across the room. At the same moment, Tagriss’s barrage of lightning rained down upon the chamber, purple streaks crackling through the air. Tali crashed into him, knocking him onto his back against the platform. Her look of disorientation lasted only a split-second, and then she was on her feet, leaping towards Tagriss with her lightsaber raised for a strike. She landed and lunged at him, piercing him through the back. The lightning died and Tagriss fell to the ground. Scourge felt the life force as it left Tagriss’s body.

In the aftermath of the battle, Scourge regain his feet, feeling dazed. Tagriss lay on the altar steps, a look of surprise etched onto his face. They had won and Tagriss had not captured him. Tali had been right after all. Was it really just the Dread Master’s influence getting to him?

Once they determined that Kira had made it safely to the exit, Tali had Tee-seven escort Kira back to the ship while she and Scourge stayed behind to do a final sweep of the place. Nearby, they found a control room where Tali was able to plug in the encrypted datapads she had found throughout Tagriss’s bunker. Scourge looked over her shoulder at the long stream of notes churning out over the display. It was clear that Tagriss had been doing experiments on both animals and humans, trying to harness the power of the Seed to make an army of super-combatants. He had not yet been successful.

“Scourge,” Tali said after a while, “Tagriss’s experimental process is irreversible. We can’t save those men in the cells.”

“I’ll take care of it.” He pulled his light saber from his belt and left the chamber. Killing the mad lab subjects was like slaughtering gizkas. He opened one cell at a time, and the men congregated around him, scratching at him uselessly with their fingernails, and occasionally trying to bite him. He executed them all with a clean thrust to the heart.

When Scourge returned to the control room, he found Tali with her head in her hands, anguish radiating off of her.

“This is not the end, Scourge,” she said without looking up. “Tagriss made references to other plans, other operations going on under the direction of the Dread Masters. This was only one of them.”

“The galaxy still needs you.”

“Us,” she corrected. She looked up and gave him a weak smile. “Together we can face anything.”

Tali finished making copies of Tagriss’s notes and they walked through the halls in silence.

“Sith alchemy can be used to make so many terrible things,” Tali said. They were nearing the bunker’s exit now and Scourge could feel the cold creeping back into his bones. “I’m sorry we couldn’t cure those men.” She looked up at Scourge. “I’m glad we were able to reverse the damage done to you.”

Scourge stepped outside and shielded his eyes against the snow glare. It was time to get this final burden off his chest.

“Tali,” he said. “There’s something else I need you to know--”

_Zzzzt!_ A high pitched buzzing flew past Scourge’s ear, punctuated a split second later by a sharp sting in his neck. Scourge’s hand flew to the spot and felt something hard and cold sticking out of his skin. A tranquilizer dart.

_Zzzzt! Zzzzt! Zzzzt!_ The other side of his neck, his arm, and upper thigh were hit. Tali was slapping at her face and arms as well. Scourge stumbled into the snow as his vision started growing fuzzy. They were in the tunnel-like corridor where the bunker entrance was hidden, and above them, a sea of faces popped up around the ridge, followed by rifle barrels.

“Give up! You’re surrounded!” a voice called. Scourge knew the accent of his own people. Imperials.

He had greater body mass than Tali, and could resist the effects of such drugs for a time, but Tali was already fading fast. As a Jedi, she might have purged some such poisons from her system, but that took time and concentration, of which they had neither. Scourge fumbled for his lightsaber but it slipped through his fingers. It landed far away by his feet. So far away.  
“Time to…” Tali’s voice was slurred and halting, “break out that...Bigger Vigor…” She let out a weak laugh.

In front of them some figures were approaching. One of them was a Sith.

“Lord Scourge,” the figure called out. The voice was female. “Your desertion is at an end.”

No, he realized, the vision he had feared was not just a dream. This was the capture he had foreseen. Tali was wavering on her feet and Scourge didn’t think she would last much longer. He grabbed her arm and leaned close.

“They are going to capture me and separate us. I don't know if I will--” There was no time to explain it all, the horror of his vision, the certainty of his being tortured, the fear of being trapped inside a destroyed body for all eternity. There was only one thing left to say.

He turned and abruptly pulled Tali towards him. For a moment, Tali stared back at him, the glaze in her eyes clearing. Scourge kissed her, rough and quick.

“I love you,” he said.


	27. Chapter 27

Tali crumpled to the ground and Scourge threw out his arms to catch her, but his own legs were turning to water, and he dropped to his knees as soon as her weight was against him. He looked up, grasping for the unravelling threads of his consciousness like a drowning man, knowing he was going under. A pair of high-topped boots came into view, attached to some slender legs.

“Lord Scourge.” The female voice sounded self-congratulatory and far too pleased. “The Empire’s most wanted traitor.”

“I’m no traitor…” Scourge managed.

She laughed, rich and chilling.

“My lord,” said a second voice. “He still has not succumbed. Do you want me to shoot him with another dose?”

“Go ahead, Quinn,” the female voice answered.

Scourge felt a sting in his upper arm and then the world began wavering. He wasn’t even aware when his head hit the snow.

00o00

Cold. Voices. A hard floor beneath him.

“...transports...Mine...ready then...Keep him under guard, Jaesa.”

Scourge crawled across the floor. An energy barrier stopped him before he could get very far. He reached out through the Force, trying to sense how many people were present around him, but found nothing but emptiness. His hand flew to his neck, where he touched metal. They had clamped a Force-dampening collar on him, as if he were some Jedi criminal. He must have made a noise of disgust because the conversation suddenly ceased.

“He’s awake, Master.”

“So I see.”

Scourge heard the scraping of footsteps across a dirty floor and looked up into the face of a female Pureblood. Beside her stood another female, a human, and on either side of his cell were two guards in faceless armor.

“You are in the custody of the Emperor now. Do you relish the thought of seeing him again?”

No one saw the Emperor anymore, so Scourge searched the Pureblood’s face, trying to determine if this were some strange joke. She had sharp red eyes, and the confidence of one who held unquestioned authority. The Dark Council were the ones who had wanted to see him punished, so much so that they had put a bounty on him. Yet she had not mentioned the Dark Council at all. Slowly, a new thought revealed itself.

“You are the new Wrath.” Scourge lurched forward, pressing his hands against the energy barrier. He towered over her. “Listen to me. The Emperor plans to betray you, to betray us all. Why do you think I left him after serving him for so long?”

“I know why you ran into the arms of the Republic, Scourge.” A knowing smile crept across her face. “You are quite smitten with your little Jedi, as we all can plainly see.”

“No. You must give me a moment with you alone. Listen first to what I have to say before judging me.”

“Well,” the Wrath dropped a hand to her hip. “I won’t say I’m not curious. But I don’t really have time for that now.” For a moment she looked like any overworked Imperial employee, cynical and preoccupied. “Tell my apprentice your story and maybe I’ll hear about it later.”

“No,” Scourge said, his eyes flickering to the human girl standing beside her. Jaesa, she had been called. “This is not a matter for a mere apprentice. I will only speak to you.”

The Wrath looked bored. She nodded her head towards Jaesa, ignoring him completely. “I’ll come for him when we are ready to transfer him aboard. At the rate these things go, it’ll probably be a few hours.” She sighed and walked away.

Jaesa sidled up to the barrier, and smiled at him, sickeningly sweet. She looked ridiculously young, barely out of Academy, surely.

“You’ll talk for me, won’t you Scourge? We can even make it a little game.”

Scourge could not sense her through the Force, but he suspected that if he could he would feel her essence deeply steeped in the dark side. Her eyes roved over him, and Scourge caught something else there, something that was anything but innocent.

“I just _love_ games,” she said. There was an intake of breath from her, filled with just a hint of suppressed excitement.

Scourge gave her a hard look. He was beginning to understand just what he was dealing with. “You’ll not find me easy prey.”

Jaesa licked her lips, looking thoughtful. “We’ll see, won’t we?”

00o00

There was a smudge of dirt on Tali’s knee that looked a bit like a charging Voranticus. Tali had been staring at it for a long time, since she had nothing better to do while sitting bound and collared like this. It was between that and thinking about what her brain swore it heard right before she fell unconscious.

_Did Scourge say he loved me?_

It was one thing to have Master Kaia tell her that Scourge was in love with her, but quite another to hear Scourge say he loved her in his own words. Did Scourge believe he would never see her again? There was something desperate, something final, about the way he had grabbed her, the way the words had rushed out. Surely this wasn’t the end of it. Tali couldn’t let her mind accept such a thing.

_I never got a chance to answer back._

Tali stared at that stupid smudge -- it was looking more like a rancor now that she thought about it -- and cursed her own stubbornness. _I love him. Why didn’t I say so sooner?_

A group of guards was gathered nearby, muttering amongst themselves and hovering over a shared datapad. They were all Imperial soldiers except for one, who was clearly a hired mercenary. His armor was a mishmash of cobbled together pieces, most of which were worn, dented, and with chipped paint. His disheveled appearance set him apart from the crisp uniforms and trim haircuts of the career soldiers. Tali couldn’t tell what race he was, but she suspected that he was not human.

He was shooting repeated looks in her direction. Did he think he was being discrete? Bulked up under his armor, he was a faceless menace. The thick shoulder pads and the featureless helm made him look more machine than man. _Bounty hunter_ , Tali thought. Most likely he had come for Scourge. Then why was he acting so interested in her?

When covertly staring at her wasn’t enough, he finally sauntered over to her chair. Only his violet eyes were visible through the slit in his helm, but Tali could see that they looked giddy and cunning, as if he had a secret too good not to share. He reached out with a gloved hand and gave her a playful cuff on the chin. Was he mocking her? In other circumstances, it might have been a sign of affection, but here it felt teasing and bold. Tali aimed a kick for his shins but he danced away before she could reach him.

The remaining guards came over and made preparations to leave. They kept a wide berth around the mercenary, and when he bent to talk to one of them, Tali could hear the tone of distaste in the man’s reply, even though she couldn’t make out the words. Were they going to sell her to this thug? Someone was handing the mercenary her lightsaber. He twirled it gracefully in one hand like it were a blaster, and then sunk it into an empty holster on his hip. That clinched it. She was the bounty and he was the collector. Who wanted her then, if not the Empire?

All she had to do now was wait until she was alone with him, and then she could retrieve her weapon and find a way to escape. Well, there was the collar too. With it on, she was Force-blind and that put her at a disadvantage. That was a harder conundrum to solve.

The guards marched her out of the barracks, where the snow-glare stabbed her in the eyes, forcing her to stare down at her feet as they travelled. It was biting cold, even in the late afternoon. Tali squinted ahead and spotted two shuttle pads, each occupied by small transport ships, both with Imperial insignia. Great. That meant that she got to look forward to riding with the Imperials before she was officially handed over at the spaceport to the bounty hunter. Her escape would have to be delayed.

They traversed an upper walkway towards the closest shuttle. The bridge to the shuttle pad was made out of an open metal frame that provided no protection from the winds, allowing the cold to assail them even from underneath. Tali was grateful that she wasn’t the skirt-wearing type.

Down below, there was another set of moving figures, headed to the opposite shuttle. Tali struggled to pull away. Was one of them Scourge? Yes, that was him, but his red skin looked sallow and gray. By the Force, he was practically naked, with only a pair of shorts to protect him from Ilum’s icy temperatures. Like her, he had a Force-dampening collar, but in addition, there was a thick chain around his neck, with a female Sith at the other end, leading him along like some akk dog. _Those monsters!_

“Scourge!” The wind took Tali’s voice and stole it away, but still he turned to look up. The Sith and all the guards around him turned too. That’s when Scourge took hold of the chain and yanked it, hard, so that it flew out of the Sith’s grasp. Scourge pumped his arm and hurled the chain over his head, clubbing both the Sith and one of the guards. The guard only stumbled, but the Sith was knocked in the head, and she crumpled to the ground and remained still.

_Change of plans!_ Tali thought. If Scourge was going to try and make his escape now, then now was the time for her to strike as well. She spun and kicked the guard that was nearest, hammering him in the temple, but the others were already on her, forcing their weight against her back and shoulders, trying to pin her to the ground.

The air broke open with the pelting of blaster fire, sounding frightfully near, and Tali dropped against the metal plating of the bridge. Oddly, the guards around her fell down as well. If they weren’t the ones shooting, then who was? Tali lifted her head. The mercenary was the only one left standing, and he was holding two smoking blasters. He holstered them and tore off his helmet.

Those violet eyes. _Of course._

“Ivor? Oh my stars, it’s you! How did you…?” Tali was on her feet, her arms already half-way around her brother’s neck before she had even finished speaking. Ivor grinned at her, and Tali suddenly understood that enigmatic smile and playful cuff on the chin. He shook his head and his head tails unwound from around his neck. What she had taken for bulked up shoulder pads had been Ivor’s lekku tucked inside his armor.

“I was wondering when you would figure out that it was me.” He grabbed the cuffs around her wrists and pointed his arm at them. A tiny laser shot out from his wrist strap, and cut through the cuffs easily. “Council had a bounty out on you. Lemme get this collar off.” He fiddled with the back of her collar but Tali batted his hands away.

“No time for that! It can only be undone with the Force. Give me my lightsaber!”

She caught it as Ivor tossed it to her, then peered over the edge of the bridge. Scourge was thrashing and punching while guards crawled over him like ants. Not looking good. Tali did a quick calculation of the distance between herself and the ground. It was farther than she would like, but even without the Force, surely she could make it. She hurled herself over the edge.

Her feet punctured a hardened crust of snow as she landed, cracking the brittle surface and sending shards into her calf. The snow was hard as slate. Tali ignored the pain shooting up her leg, and loped over to where Scourge was quickly being overrun. Tali’s skill as a duelist had not deserted her with the loss of her Force powers, but her moves felt like wading through water, slow and encumbered. Above her, Ivor was laying down a spray of bolts, cutting down any guards who tried to retreat. Would it be enough? Her reflexes were clumsy, and she had to focus on disarming the guards as fast as possible or risk being hit by blaster fire that she couldn't dodge. Scourge appeared weak and exhausted -- when she could see him at all -- and had no weapon other than the chain. He used it like a flail, swinging it to clear a space around himself, but he couldn’t keep that up forever.

Ivor had left the bridge, and was plodding towards them as he steadily unloaded his guns. It was working. Tali inched closer to Scourge and spotted his face through the tumult, etched in fury with his teeth set in a permanent snarl.

“Glad your Sith is on our side.”

Tali swiveled and almost bumped into Ivor. Together they dispatched the remaining guards, until the last guard fell to Tali’s blade. Only Scourge was left, wavering on his feet. His chest and shoulders were blackened by blaster burns, his skin slick with blood.

“What is this mess?” a voice yelled.

Scourge’s eyes flicked in the direction of the new voice. “The Wrath,” he said, sounding strangely flat. His eyelids fluttered once. Then he sunk to the ground.

Tali looked up to see a female Sith, a Pureblood, coming down from the gangplank of the nearby shuttle. _The Wrath?_ This was the _new_ Wrath, Tali realized, Scourge’s replacement.

“Don’t say anything,” Ivor said into Tali’s ear. He grabbed her abruptly from behind and pressed one of his blasters against her temple.

The Sith stalked towards them with her two lightsabers drawn. Behind her was a soldier and an Imperial officer. They both had blasters.

“Take your Sith,” Ivor called out. “But I’m leaving with the Jedi I came for. Payment on delivery, you know, and I mean to deliver.”

The Wrath stepped over a body and then stopped, surveying the scene. Scourge lay at her feet, unmoving, his blood pooling in the snow. Tali gritted her teeth, wanting more than anything to yell out, to reach for Scourge, to tell Ivor that they had to save him. We were so close! Could she and Ivor take on this Sith and her companions? She tried to picture herself defending against two lightsabers, all while blocked from the Force and with a lame leg.

“Don’t even think about it, Jedi,” the Wrath said. She thrust out her hand and Tali’s throat squeezed shut.

“Hey,” Ivor cut in. “Don’t damage her. Contract stipulated a _living_ Jedi.”

The Wrath dropped her hand. She then nudged Scourge with her foot, rolling him onto his back. He didn’t resist or even twitch. His face was unresponsive. She glanced over at the other Sith whom Scourge had clobbered in the head with the chain.

“You better not have killed my apprentice,” the Wrath muttered.

The officer hovered over the unconscious apprentice, passing a medical scanner across her forehead. “My lord, we need to get Jaesa into a tank,” he called. “Right away.”

“Do it then.” The Wrath turned her eyes towards Ivor. Her lightsabers were pointed at the ground, but she crossed them before her and then swung them away again, as if adjusting her grip, making the twin blades hum. If she didn’t believe Ivor’s act as neutral party, they were all dead.

She nodded her head in their direction. “Take your catch and go.”

Ivor crushed Tali against his chest and began to drag her backwards, moving away without turning his back.

“No,” Tali whimpered. Scourge lay collapsed in the snow, exposed to the frigid cold, his life draining away into ground. Was this how it ended? The Wrath’s face was impassive as she watched them depart.

“He needs a healer!” Tali cried out. “He’s...he’s dying!” She knew her voice was turning frantic and hoarse, but her rational mind was far away, locked behind a horror that was eroding her control. She screamed into the wind, her voice breaking. “Are you just going to let him DIE?”

In response, the Wrath gestured at Scourge, and the soldier came forward to haul him away. Tali watched as he was dragged towards the shuttle.

“He may wish he were dead after Lord Drowl is through with him,” she called.

Scourge’s bare feet disappeared into the shuttle and the door slid shut with a metallic clang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lord Drowl is that Sith quest giver you meet on Dromund Kaas who wants you to poison the water supply of the renegade slaves so they all die painful deaths. His conversation goes something like this:
> 
> You: "You enjoy your job don't you?"
> 
> Lord Drowl: "Dominating lesser beings and squashing their will to resist? Of course I enjoy it. And I think you will too."
> 
> He's awful, for sure, but the way he says that line is so deliciously evil that he always stuck out in my memory.


	28. Chapter 28

Tali sat at the conference table back on her ship, her head squashed between her hands. Her vision was blurry but no more tears would come.

“Who is this Lord Drowl?” Ivor was slouched in a chair next to her.

“He’s not a Council member,” Kira replied. “Which is odd, since it’s the Council that wanted Scourge captured.”

“Are you sure he’s not?” Tali raised her head. “We don’t know all the names of every Dark Council member.”

“No, but what research I found suggests that he is a lessor lord. Hardly Council material, or at least not yet.”

“What else did you find?” Ivor asked.

Kira drew out a datapad and began to skim her finger across the screen. “He is a researcher and xenobiologist, specializing in the development of undetectable toxins. He was brought in to put down a slave rebellion outside Kaas City two and half years ago.”

“He could be a Sith assassin, or maybe he’s connected to Imperial Intelligence,” Sergeant Rusk said.

“They don’t know that Scourge has lost his immortality.” Tali looked up. “What if they are careless and they kill him?”

Ivor sat up, slapping his boots against the floor. “Then we’ll find him before that happens.”

“Well,” Kira said, “let’s see what else we can dig up.”

After the room had emptied, Tali turned to Ivor, who had still not moved.

“What were you doing on Ilum, Ivor?”

He shrugged. “A job.”

“I get that much. What kind of a job? Who were you looking for?”

“Hey,” he said. “I didn’t know who the contract was for, ok? They didn’t say, and by the time I found out, I was knee-deep in Imperials and couldn’t warn you.”

“You were there for Scourge?”

“The contact only said ‘two fugitives.’”

“I see. How much were they offering?”

“They didn’t give a number, not like last time, which is why I didn’t realize it was for you two. They promised to buy me a new ship, outfit it, and to wipe my record clean in three systems.”  
“All that and you didn’t ask questions?”

Ivor sat forward. “Look. In this business you learn not to ask questions. Lots of people want things kept under wraps. I figured it was some high ranking mucky-mucks that went AWOL.”

Tali nodded.

“I admit it, Tali. I led them to Ilum. But then all these Imps showed up, along with this crazy-ass Wrath, and they took over the whole op. Scourge was handed over and I was supposed to bring you to Korriban.”

“They’ll wonder when you don’t show up.”

“Yeah. Well, I got a genius slicer on my roll now. She might be able to erase that stuff.”

“I hope so.”

“So, you uh, you love that Sith guy, don’t you?”

Tali felt herself coloring.

“Hey, I’m not judging! I mean, it’s weird with the...you know…” He waggled his fingers over his face, “...tentacles and things.”

Tali leaned over and gave him a half-hearted punch in the arm. “Stop it.”

He chuckled. “He’s probably got them other places too, huh?”

“Shut up! They’re called ‘tendrils.’”

“You’re smiling. ‘Cause it’s funny and you know it.”

Tali sat back, the joke suddenly forgotten. “Ivor,” she said. “You tracked down Scourge once. Why couldn’t you track him again?”

“I’ll do my best. You know I will. If he’s that important to you. It’s just you and me, you know? We’re all that’s left. So we gotta stick together.”

Tali’s mind wandered. If she and Ivor were the only family they each had left, then who did Scourge have? No one. No one but them. They were his family now.

“Right,” Tali said. “Because you don’t abandon family.”

00o00

Tali entered the Jedi Temple and made her way up the grand staircase towards the meeting room where she was to meet with members of the Council. Yes, they had refused to help Scourge the last time she had requested aid, but this time was different. Scourge’s life was at stake. Scourge, the Sith who had willingly become a pariah in his homeland by choosing to aid them. Scourge, the man who had helped bring down the Emperor and had saved countless billions from annihilation. That had to mean something. Not even the Council was that heartless.

Tali trudged around the second floor balcony, watching the floor tiles reflect the shadow of her passing. She and her crew had not found any strong leads as to Scourge’s location, even with Ivor’s help. All they had to go on was assumptions and old data. They were going to need better assistance. Even so, Tali had to guard her thoughts during this meeting. If anyone caught an inkling of her strong feelings for Scourge, they would become blind to her pleas. _I should have known something like this could happen_ , she thought. Whatever was between her and Scourge was certainly not sanctioned behavior. Try as she might, however, Tali could not summon up the appropriate feelings of guilt. Instead, she was more afraid of her secret - their secret - being discovered. _Stars, what has become of me?_

What was the Council afraid of? That she would turn Sith? The idea wasn’t as preposterous as she wanted to believe. After all, such things happened. She herself, along with her Jedi strike team, had been captured and brainwashed into doing the Emperor’s bidding for a time. But she had not been in control of her faculties, then.

This was different. _My eyes are open_ , Tali thought. _No one is deceiving me, tricking me, corrupting me. I am still Tal’ilavi, Jedi Knight and loyal to the Republic. I still serve the light, as I always have._

Would the Council believe such a thing possible?

Tali stepped into the foyer and announced her arrival to the attendant. Moments later she was being ushered into the meeting room.

Master Kiwiiks was there, giving her an encouraging nod and smile, as was Council member Master Oric, attending via holo. Satele Shan, Grand Master of the Jedi Order, was there also, standing in the center of the room as if she had been awaiting Tali’s arrival. Tali felt a nervous buzz pass down her lekku. She had to make this moment count.

After the usual introductory statements, Tali began.

“Scourge has been captured by the Empire.” She searched their faces for signs of sympathy, but of course, the Jedi displayed nothing but indecipherable, blank faces. “I believe he is to be tortured and maybe even killed. If he has been taken to Dromund Kaas or Korriban, which is likely, then I will need the Council’s help to get him back.”

“Lord Scourge has been relieved of any obligation to the Jedi Order. Our alliance with him has ended,” Satele said. “I’m sorry, Tal’ilavi, but his return to the Empire isn’t the Council’s concern.”

Tali had tried to school her face and her thoughts into passivity, but at those words, a shock went through her body.

“How can you-” Tali paused to control the rising emotion in her voice. “How can you abandon him? He gave up everything to help us. The Empire is no longer his home. The people who captured him are his enemies. _Our enemies._ ”

“Lord Scourge is not a member of our Order. We are under no obligation to expend resources, precious time, or Jedi lives on his behalf. Not when there are threats to the Republic and its citizens. Remember who we serve, Tali. We are not here to indulge our own desires, but to protect and serve the greater good.”

So, they were going to try and paint her as selfish, were they? “Scourge is a member of my crew! Surely I owe him some degree of loyalty and protection, just as he has done for me.”

“His mission with us has run its course. There was never a need for him to be on your crew long-term. He helped us, and we are deeply appreciative. But that time has come to an end.” Satele was so damn calm, Tali thought, with not a clue that she was ripping her and Scourge’s world apart.

“So, you got what you wanted from him, and now you are throwing him away.”

“Tali,” Master Kiwiiks spoke up. “Scourge was welcome to stay in Republic space, even to continue using the name on his Republic identity card. But he is not a Jedi, and we cannot support him as such.” She looked with sympathy at Tali. “He was invited to Tython and asked to renounce the dark side. He would not have been the first former Sith we have welcomed into the Order, nor the first Pureblood.”

Tali shook her head as if to dislodge Master Kiwiiks’s words. When had this happened? “Of course he refused.”

“You don’t sound surprised.” It was the Jedi speaking through holocall, Master Oric, a Nautolan. “Surely you understand then how an avowed Sith cannot be allowed to,” he paused, then chose his next words with note of distaste in his voice, “ _fraternize_ with Jedi, especially on such close terms.”

“Exactly,” Satele cut in. “What happened before was an emergency situation. But now the emergency has passed. Such long-term relationships are reserved for Master and Padawan, of which Scourge is neither.”

“You know what he is, how entrenched he is with the dark side,” Master Oric said. His voice had taken on a tone of reprimand. “I would think that you would be relieved to finally cut ties with him.”

Tali leaned forward, aware that her voice was taking on an angry, desperate edge. She jabbed her finger in the direction of Master Oric’s holo. “I saw Scourge dragged away. Stripped, bleeding, and unconscious. You expect me to just forget that?”

“Do you any longer have doubts, my fellow Councilors?” Oric made a grand gesture of looking around the room and then back at Tali again. “You have made an unhealthy attachment to this Sith. And it’s time that we ended it.”

 _If only you knew._ Suddenly Tali felt like laughing, but she kept her mouth shut, knowing that it would come out sounding crazed and angry. It all came down to this attachment thing. Tali was thrown back to a memory of her first days on Tython, when she had stood with a gathered group of fresh younglings. They had been lectured about breaking ties with family, about how the Order was their home now, and all the citizens of the Republic their family. Some of the kids sniffled and cried for their parents that first night, but it hadn’t meant much to Tali then. She had little family left. Now she looked back and realized what an important moment that was for a Jedi.

 _This is wrong,_ Tali thought. She couldn’t get behind this rule, didn’t see how it was helping anyone in the Order. _I know where my duty lies. Caring about my crew, about Scourge and Kira, and all the rest, does not make me a bad or ineffectual Jedi. Caring about people makes me a better Jedi._ Caring had brought out the compassion in Scourge, had it not?

Only when Tali was sure that she had her voice under control again did she risk speaking.

“You can’t stop me from caring. I may not be your ideal Jedi, but I serve the Republic and those who need me most. And right now I feel that Scourge needs -- no, _deserves_ \-- my help.”

“It is for us to decide where your talents are best put to use,” Master Oric said. “This rescue is dangerous and unlikely to succeed. We need you _here_ , in the Republic, not chasing after some Sith.” He held out his palm, gesturing in her direction. “This kind of folly is exactly what happens when you let emotion guide your actions.”

“Why must all emotion be forbidden?” Tali blurted out. The lights here in this room were hot and too bright, yet the room felt suddenly chill. “Have you forbidden gratitude, empathy, loyalty as well? If he were a Jedi, you’d go after him. Is the Council so callous and self-serving that they would absolve themselves of all responsibility to Scourge?”

“This argument needs to stop,” Satele broke in. “Tali, we do not give you permission to enter Imperial territory to find Lord Scourge. I will let you know shortly where your next assignment is-”

“No!” Tali could see disapproval crossing Satele’s face, and Master Kiwiiks lowered her head in dismay. Even still, she couldn’t stop the flood of words from coming. “I will find Scourge on my own if I have to, because he deserves to be cared about by someone. I thought the Jedi were supposed to be better than this! Abandoning those in need, those who have served us in good faith? That is not why I became a Jedi.”

There was silence when Tali finished. The rush of adrenaline had made her dizzy and the loud ringing in her ears wasn’t helping either.

“Then maybe you need to rethink this path,” Master Oric said at last. “Not everyone is cut out for the kind of commitment and obedience the Order requires.”

Tali couldn’t believe where this was going. She knew she should stop her runaway mouth from doing any more damage, but the insult was too much to bear. Master Oric’s inability to budge or even try to see another’s point of view filled her with indignation. She had struggled many times with Jedi rules and restrictions. She knew that if she wanted to save this conversation before an irrevocable rift occurred that she should back down now and walk away. If she gave up, though, Scourge was as good as dead, and she could not bear the thought of his death on her conscience. Not when she had the power to try and stop it.

“You could be right. Maybe I’m not cut out for this life,” she heard herself saying. “You want your perfect Jedi? Well I have seen what that looks like. When Scourge first came to me, he had no feelings and no attachments. He was an intelligent killing machine, but he lacked heart. Think about what you are striving for. It will lead to creating empty drones with no compassion or understanding for others.” Tali stopped to recover her breath. “And that’s not who I want to be.”

Satele clasped her hands before her. “What are you saying, Tali? Is this your resignation from the Order, then?”

“It is.”

Tali turned and swept from the room, not waiting for an official dismissal. _It’s over, it’s over. My life with the Order is over._ Tali struggled to see her way down the stairs while her mind continued to argue with itself. She had to grip the railing in order to steady the trembling in her legs. _If that’s what it means to be a Jedi, then I don’t belong there. This is for the best._

She burst into the sunlight of the temple courtyard, which was filled at this time of day with chatting Padawans and busy Jedi. She didn’t belong here anymore. _I have given up my life and my home. Stars, did I do the right thing?_


	29. Chapter 29

Scourge wrapped himself in the pain and held it close. It would stoke his fury until the time came. This, Scourge knew, might be nothing compared to what the Council would do to him. A human face came into his vision, pale and scarred, momentarily blocking out the overhead light.

“Not infallible then are you?” Lord Drawl said. “They didn’t grow back now, did they? The rot’s set in, just like would be expected for a normal man.”

He pulled a datapad out of his lab coat pocket and held it up to his mouth. “Purged the poisons in less than twenty-three hours,” he said, speaking into it, “without the use of the Force. High cellular regeneration for damage levels up to and including ‘severe,’ but healing cannot be sustained for massive trauma, such as amputation. A paradox? Or is there simply a limit to his healing abilities?”

The pain in Scourge’s hands was so encompassing that he could no longer discern where exactly it originated. How many fingers had he lost? He was strapped so tightly to the table, that he couldn’t even lift his head to peer downward. How long until Lord Drowl started amputating his arms? His legs? And then it would come to pass, the terrible vision of the Dread Masters. His greatest fear. If his body stubbornly refused to give up on life, even when it could no longer repair itself, would he be tied to his broken flesh forever?

Lord Drowl wandered off and his apprentice approached once more, glancing nonchalantly at Scourge’s prone body as if he were nothing more than a series of wires and levers to be manipulated. For science, of course. He called over his shoulder, “Master, can I continue with the pain tolerance tests?”

Drowl didn’t answer, but Scourge could see the apprentice nod, indicating that Drowl had given a nonverbal assent. The apprentice, a fresh and freckle-faced youth named Rabbs, finished attaching electrodes to Scourge's skin and then disappeared from Scourge’s view to set the machine. Scourge braced for the inevitable.

No matter how many times he steeled himself for this moment, the initial power of the jolt still took him by surprise. His limbs, every ligament, every stretch of sinew, sang with the hot sting of electricity as it tore through him. This was a far cry from the ecstasy he had experienced with Tali during the storm on Belsavis. Rational thought was all but obliterated, and Scourge’s muscles danced to the machine’s command. The pain ceased just as abruptly as it had begun, and Scourge was distantly aware of a voice recounting blood pressure and heart rate results. Then it began anew, intensified this time, burning through him like a liquid brand, and Scourge vaguely wondered if his skin was actually smoking. Hoarse vibrations shook his throat, reverberating in the depths of his chest, until Scourge realized that he must be screaming.

The pain cut off, and Scourge was floating. Frantic voices broke through like visions in a haze. He tried to grasp hold of them, but the words kept shifting, and for a while the meaning eluded him. Then the fog parted and Scourge heard.

_We can’t lose him! Give him the adrenal! Do it again!...him out...tank, quickly!_

Scourge’s vision cleared, and he saw himself as if from above, lying motionless on the table like a specimen pinned to a slab, while Drowl and Rabbs scurried around him, yanking off electrodes, inserting tubes, pumping him full of adrenals.

_This isn’t supposed to happen._

Relief flooded through him. Then acceptance. _If this is death, then I am not afraid._ He welcomed it, in fact. _Let it come. I am ready._

Then, with a lurch, Scourge was back in his body, pain racing through him. A mask was thrust over his face and he felt himself being lifted, then submerged. The kolto tank embraced him like a mother’s womb, and a numbness stole through his limbs.

Lord Drowl’s face pressed against the glass. His mouth gaped open and closed until Scourge finally recognized words.

“...permanent stasis in a secure location.” Drowl waved his hand behind him, jabbering some more. “...tests concluded….tell the Council…”

Stasis…secure location. Scourge would have laughed if he could have. Was he to share Revan’s fate? It was a fitting end, and no less than he deserved.

_The Force leads us to strange destinies,_ Scourge thought.

00o00

“What will you do now?”

Kira sat across the table from Tali, and between them was Ivor. This streetside cafe had beautiful views of the distant Senate tower, but the scenery held no allure today. Tali drew her finger through the tiny puddle of condensation left behind by her drink and shrugged.

“Stay here in Coruscant. Rent a place. They’ve given me a temporary severance stipend for the next few months so I can get back on my feet.” She wasn't without skills. Surely she would find some way to occupy her time.

“You’d make a fine mercenary, you know,” Ivor said. Kira must have given him a dirty look, because he added, “I mean it!”

“Thanks Ivor.”

“You’re always welcome on my ship Tali. I even got that smell out of it. You’d like it.”

Her crew was trying to put on a brave face for her benefit, but everything reminded Tali of her final conversation with the Council and of her days traveling with Scourge. Her new pink lightsaber blade, which she had been so eager to use, Scourge’s empty cot in the storage room, the Jedi robes hanging in the wardrobe. Maybe all of those memories would fade once her ship -- the Republic’s ship, she reminded herself -- was handed over and out of her possession. She had one week to empty it out and dock it at one of Coruscant’s spaceports.  
Sergeant Rusk had already received a new assignment, although he didn’t have to leave yet for another four days. Kira as well was being called back to Tython for new orders. Doc hadn’t found a new home just yet, but Tali suspected that it would only be a matter of time. Tee-seven was the only one left who wasn’t leaving her.

Tali’s holo beeped. She dug it out of her pocket and slapped it on the table. “Call back later,” she muttered. She reached to sever the connection, but Kira held out a hand.

“Let me just see who it is.” Kira snatched up the comm and left the table, removing herself to a quiet corner by the nearby balcony.

“You gonna be all right?” Ivor asked.

Tali knew she had done the right thing. Still, she felt cut adrift. It would take time to find her purpose again, to adjust to this new life. “I’ll manage.”

“My offer was-”

“Hey boss?” Kira was heading back towards their table. “You may need to see this…Says they will only to talk you.”

“Who is it?”

Kira was wide-eyed, making Tali genuinely curious. She set the comm on the table without saying anything. The tiny figure hovering over the comm unit was obscured by static. An intentional interference.

“I’m here,” Tali said. “Who is this?”

The figure blurred for a moment, and then resolved into the shape of a woman. A Pureblood, with two lightsabers on her hips.

_“You.”_ Tali was unable to hide the surprise, or the distrust, from her voice. “The Wrath.”

“And there you are, Jedi. Still alive, and very much _not_ captured. How about that fake bounty hunter? Is he with you too?”

“Hey! I’m not-” Ivor butted in, but Tali waved her hand, pressing him to silence.

“What do you want?”

“I would like to offer you my aid.”

Tali laughed, unable to help it. “Right.” Her curiosity had already been piqued, however. She and the Wrath and only one person between them in common, after all. She tried to keep her voice calm and not too eager. “With what?”

The Wrath dropped a hand to her hip. “I know where Lord Scourge is being kept. Do you want to rescue him?”

Tali stopped laughing and held up a hand. “Wait a minute. You captured Scourge and now you want me to help you free him? That makes no sense.”

“My offer is genuine, and here’s the first thing I’ll give you: Scourge is still on Ilum.” Her gaze was intent, no doubt watching Tali for her reaction. “He is in the hands of Lord Drowl, where he is being poked and prodded this very minute while Drowl seeks to learn the limits of his mortality.”

“What? Scourge is no longer immortal. Drowl could kill him-” Tali would never blurt out such details to an enemy, but Scourge’s life could depend on this, and she couldn’t afford to be sly.

“Scourge is already dying,” the Wrath cut in. “Lord Drowl went too far and is in a panic. He plans to pack Scourge up and send him off to Dromund Kaas, where he will be locked away in one of the Emperor’s secret prisons. If that happens, you might as well give him up for dead, because you’ll never find him.”

“So, you just -- oh, I don’t know -- had a change of heart, right? And now you want to help Scourge?”

The Wrath’s eyes narrowed. “Do you talk to your superiors this way too? You rather remind me of my former slave, actually.” She tilted her head and smiled, making her look almost pleasant. Well, as pleasant as any Pureblood could look with those thorny eyebrows. “Does it run in your family line? My family used to breed Twi’leks you know.” Her smile turned wicked. She was enjoying this, that stupid Sith.

“Are you going to answer my question, or are you just calling to insult me?”

The Wrath’s voice grew mild. “You are right. That was mean of me.” Tali waited for a new jest, but none came. “I spoke to Scourge,” she said. “We both believe in preserving the Empire. And he convinced me of a few things. Things related to my future as the Emperor’s Wrath. I believe the Empire is better served with him free.”

“Then why aren’t you breaking him out yourself?”

“Because I value my career, and my life.”

They stared, each trying to read the other. Finally Tali nodded. “Ok, so what do you suggest?”

“I will help you,” The Wrath said, “but I will not hand you your victory. You must earn that yourself.”

“Fine.” Tali waved her hand. This was typical Sith rhetoric. “Understood.”

“You must act now. Scourge will soon be packed up and sent on a transport to Ilum’s spaceport. I’m sending through their itinerary, and coords for their route. You must intercept them. The rest is up to you.”

Tali watched the base of the holoterminal light up, indicating receipt of the sent data. “Thank you.” _Here I am_ , Tali thought, _working with another Sith, on another crucial mission. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any weirder._ “By the way, do you have a name? Or does everyone call you ‘The Wrath?”

“Lord Wrath is fine. Or just ‘my lord.’” There was mirth in those bright eyes.

Tali sighed. “Nevermind.”

“There is something else, Jedi,” The Wrath said. “I want you to know that I didn’t give my apprentice permission to torment Lord Scourge on Ilum.”

Tali folded her arms. “You ought to control your apprentice better.”

She expected indignation, or maybe anger, but instead the Wrath nodded, looking thoughtful. “You may be right about that.” Tali was surprised, and impressed as well. Only a powerful Sith would react to criticism with such confidence.

“Good luck,” the Wrath said. She looked somber, like she really meant it. The holo blinked out.

00o00

The day was overcast, and quickly fading towards dusk. Tali huddled in her cloak and tugged her hood further over her ears. She thought of Scourge, forced to walk unclothed in this frigid temperature, and anger rose up inside her. What need did the Imperials have for instruments of torture when the planet provided it all for them?

Kira slid down from the rock she had been perched on and handed Tali the electrobinoculars. “They’re coming. Just one transport. Are we sure Scourge is on this one?”

“The place and time is right. We just have to trust the Wrath.”

“Yeah, that’s what I was afraid you’d say. Well, let’s get on with it.”

“Doc, did you remember the thermal blanket?” Tali had gone over their supplies at least three times, but it was never enough. Scourge was going to need all the help they could give him, and she couldn’t afford to forget anything.

“I took care of it, sweetheart, remember? Along with the kolto, the stims, and the extra ammo. We’re all good.”

Doc was used to working in the field, Tali reminded herself She could trust him, like she could all her crew. Like she could her brother.

“Ok, Ivor, here they come.” Tali lowered the binocs and slid back behind the rock.

Ivor yanked his blasters out of their holsters and gave her a wink. “I’m ready. Let’s blow this puppy.”

He slipped out from behind the boulder and ran into the path of the transport. Other than the makeshift road that had been carefully worn by the vehicles before it, the transport had nowhere else to go. The surrounding terrain was deep snow and hidden rocks. It rumbled to a slow stop. There was a loud creak as the driver struggled to crack open his frozen door. Nobody bothered to make windows that actually opened on planets like Hoth or Ilum. The driver poked his head out, looking bewildered.

“This is a stick up!” Ivor yelled. “You know...as in ‘stick ‘em up!’” He gestured in the air with his blasters and laughed.

“Are you daft?” the driver called. “Get out of the way!”

Tali, Kira, and Sergeant Rusk were already halfway around the vehicle and coming up from behind. When they were in range, Tali leapt into the air and landed on the roof, followed by Kira, who did the same. Tali’s wounded calf protested, still sore from the jump off the bridge a few days previous, and for a moment she teetered on the edge. She gripped the corner and leaned over, plunging her lightsaber into the crack on the back hatch. As soon as the blade cut through the latch, the door popped open. Tali gave it a push, and it swung away easily, too easily, in fact, so that Tali fell away with it. She would have tumbled to the ground had Kira not snatched the back of her robe and tugged her upright.

There was a yell from inside, while at the same moment, Ivor opened fire from the front. The driver spilled out of his seat and landed on the ground, just as a voice from inside cried out in alarm.

“Lord Drow-”

Rusk’s hand cannon thundered to life, and the body of a skinny male Sith toppled out the door. Kira reached in and yanked a soldier out by the collar, running him through just as he raised his rifle to strike at her. Tali gripped the edge of the roof and rolled forward, swinging down and over the open doorway and kicking her way inside.

A large Kolto tank was tethered in the middle of the rear cabin, and there Scourge floated, serenely oblivious to the fighting around him. Tali lunged forward, hacking away the first tether, but when she reached for the second, a figure lunged at her from the dark recess behind the tank, shoving her backwards out the door. Tali tumbled through the snow and was stunned by the streak of blue lightning that crackled over her body. She broke free and came to her feet. Lord Drowl stood, battle ready, his lightsaber in hand, while the other sparked with energy anew.

Behind him, a riot of blaster fire and screaming ensued, but he looked at Tali with blood-shot yellow eyes and beckoned, uncaring of the carnage around him.

“Come on, Jedi. I can’t wait to hurt you.”

This was the Sith who had tortured Scourge. Tali felt a scream rumbling up from her chest. She hollered defiance and threw herself at him. Strike after strike, she pummeled him, until he was entirely on the defensive. He looked shocked, scandalized even, that she could have bested him so easily. Tali let out a final yell as she drew a heavy slice across his abdomen. He dropped his lightsaber, clutched at his middle, and fell on his face.

“Tali! Rusk! Help!”

Kira had a hand thrust forward, and was using the Force to hold the Kolto tank steady as it listed forward. Her other hand swiveled her lightsaber in jerking movements, blocking blaster fire aimed at her from someone still inside the cabin. Rusk had moved to the front of the vehicle with Ivor, and wasn’t near enough to reach her in time. Kira’s feet slipped dangerously close to the edge of the back door.

Tali flew forward, plunging into the cabin, her lightsaber swinging. Two soldiers huddled against the cabin’s back wall, unloading their weapons with blind desperation. Tali finished them off, just as Kira let out a pained yelp. The tank rolled sideways on its base, hanging precariously by one remaining ceiling tether. Tali turned to see Kira clutching her ribs, her face bent into a grimace. Her foot slid backwards a fraction, and then she tumbled off the back of the truck.

There was a loud clang as the last tether holding the Kolto tank snapped. It rumbled forward, crashing into the wall of the cabin, then bounced off and took a nose-dive straight out the door.

There was a horrid smash, followed by the rush of spilling liquid. Tali skidded out the back door, a cry of panic on her lips. Kira lay pinned to the ground under part of the tank’s heavy base. Kolto oozed across the snow like blue sludge, already starting to freeze, and in the midst of it all, Scourge sprawled naked on the quickly forming ice.

Tali reached for the tank’s base through the Force, then hurled it away. Rusk scrambled past, sliding to his knees and reaching for Kira. In the distance, Tali could see Doc racing across the snow, his medical bag thudding against his legs. Tali sunk to the ground next to Scourge.

“The blanket! I need the blanket!” She leaned over Scourge and tore off the mask. “Scourge, wake up. Scourge, it’s me. It’s me, wake up!”

Strange burn marks riddled his body, and as Tali reached for one of his hands, she was startled to see that he was missing two fingers. His hand was swollen and inflamed, the wounds not even bandaged. Tali fell forward, pressing her ear against Scourge’s chest. She couldn’t hear anything. Why couldn’t she hear anything?

“Stay with me Scourge.” Her voice was breaking. “You can’t leave me. I love you.” She covered him with her body, folding her arms around his shoulders. “I love you.”

Then she heard it. The sound of a heartbeat, unnaturally slow, and so faint she had missed it. She recalled the many times Scourge had told her of the power to be had in emotions, of the strength he drew from his own and from others. If ever there was a time to open her mind and her heart to that rush of feeling it was now. Tali laid against him, pouring everything she had out of her, imaging it as pure energy. Her pain, her fear, her hopes, the exultation she had felt when they had shared their bodies and minds, she released it all, and envisioned it infusing him like an elixir. And her love, that too, all of it, yes, there it was, cascading free, open and unhindered. _For you, Scourge. Take it. I give it all._

A pressure, tentative and light, crept up her back. Tali opened her eyes and saw Scourge’s arm winding around her. He was looking back at her, a smile, fragile as a newborn, touching his lips.

“It’s not…” a shivering was passing through Scourge's body, becoming more violent by the minute, “...my time yet...after all then.”

“No,” Tali said. Scourge's face was blurring in her vision, and she drew a hand across her eyes. “Not yet. Force be willing, not yet.”

Doc leaned over them, dropping a blanket over Scourge’s body. “I’ve got the stretcher. Let’s get out of here. Kira’s already loaded on the landspeeder. She’s right as rain, or will be, once I get a splint on her leg.”

Tali nodded. She gripped Scourge’s hand, careful to avoid the fresh wounds there, and pressed it her cheek. Then she drew it to her lips and brushed a kiss against his knuckles.

“I love you,” she whispered. Scourge’s hand was slipping from her grasp. She looked up to see his eyes blinking slowly, his consciousness fading away once more.

“At last...” he said, and Tali had to lean in close to catch the rest, “...you are true to the passion in your heart.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, as always, for reading and for sharing your comments with me!


	30. Chapter 30

The medical staff at Xeno General whisked Scourge away, and Tali trailed after them. Together, they made a strange, chattering parade of doctors and med droids, followed by one frantic Twi’lek with her companion trying to console her.

Doc was ogling everything they passed like a kid in a toy shop. “Good facility, much better than what we had on the ship. Did you see that machine back there, the one with all the doo-dads? That was an ExoTech 300, the latest model-”

“Shh! What are they saying? What’s hemodialysis? Is he in a coma? What-”

Doc ran along beside her, clumsily grabbing her arm to give it a squeeze. “I’m sure they’ve treated Force-users before. They’ll know what to do.”

“But he’s different…” In times of great duress, talented Jedi could put themselves in a Force-induced comatose state, conserving energy and keeping alive in extreme conditions. When Tali and her crew had gotten back to the ship, Scourge had fallen unconscious again, his heart and respiration rates slowing to abnormally low levels, and nothing they did could wake him. If he were using the Force for some form of emergency self-healing, surely Tali would have felt the power radiating off of him. But he was cold and silent, like a void in the Force. They wrapped him in the thermal blanket, and Doc monitored Scourge’s vitals, and from there they had raced to Coruscant.

The Xenobiologic Research and Medical Center, colloquially referred to as Xeno General, was renowned for its cadre of doctors specializing in non-human surgical care, as well as being on the forefront of disease research. Tali only hoped they would know what to do with Scourge.

“Master Jedi? Does your colleague have a Republic ID?” A Duros doctor was peering at Tali, a scanner in hand. The parade had spilled into a large room with a kolto tank, several beds and some monitoring equipment. Scourge’s gurney disappeared behind a curtain where Tali could no longer see him.

“Oh, yeah, yeah, it’s here. I have it.” Many citizens of the Republic had elected to have an ID chip implanted directly under their skin, but given the complex and dangerous lives of most Jedi, people like Scourge and Tali usually opted for the older route of a physical ID card. Tali fished out Scourge’s card, the one that listed him as ‘Master Sanson, Jedi Knight,’ and handed it over.

The Duros ran the card under the scanner until it emitted a few benign-sounding beeps, and then pulled it out and handed it off to a human woman, who took it and fed it into a larger machine against a nearby wall. The Duros continued looking over his datapad, then glanced up at Tali. He began preying her with questions about the nature of Scourge’s injuries and the duration of his exposure to the elements. Tali tried her best to answer but a loud buzzing from one of the machines nearby made her lose her already scattered train of thought.

“Dr. Nors?” It was the woman who had taken Scourge's ID card. The buzzing was coming from her machine. She was shaking her head while her fingers fluttered over the keys at an attached data terminal. “The two samples are not matching.”

“Did you adjust the B-readings? You know-”

“I did that.”

Dr. Nors glanced at Tali. “Excuse me a moment.”

Doc pressed against Tal’s shoulder. “You sure his ID checks out?”

“It should. His bio scan info is all recent. I don’t know what could-” Tali broke off as the nearby conversation between the doctors grew more heated.

“It’s not just that,” the woman was saying. “His blood sample is bringing up errors. Could be contaminated.”

“Then take another. Get Salla in here.”

“I’m paging Dr. Kapshin. Maybe she can make sense of-”

“Dr. Nors?” Tali called. “Is there a problem?”

The Duros returned, shaking his head. “I need to ask you to wait out here.” He shooed them backwards towards the hallway. “Just have a seat, and we’ll be with you in a moment.”

Tali slumped into a hard chair in the hallway. Behind her the door clicked shut, blocking all sound.

“I knew it. They’re confused already. If only we could have taken him to Tython. Damn that Council and their stupid prejudices.”

Doc patted her knee. “I’m gonna grab some caf, ok? Sit tight.”

The minutes dragged by and Tali caught herself trying to chew her fingernails into stubs. Med droids rolled past while someone repeatedly paged a “Dr. Kapshin.” What could be wrong with Scourge’s ID? Like all Republic ID’s, Scourge’s included a bioscan chip with a basic work-up of his blood identifiers. Given Scourge’s strange history, maybe Tali shouldn't be surprised that his blood wasn’t breaking out into the proper categories. She hoped this wouldn’t delay Scourge’s care.

The minutes dragged on and Doc returned. He had brought Tali a sandwich, but she found she could only stomach a few bites. A figure approached her and Tali forced down a swallow.

“Master Jedi?”

Tali jumped up. She didn’t bother correcting being called a “Jedi.” The newcomer, obviously a doctor by the labcoat, was a thin woman with cropped hair and a sweet, girl-ish voice that was completely at odds with her middle-aged appearance. She was also a Sith Pureblood.

“I’m Doctor Sevra Kapshin. I specialize in blood diseases and also know a thing or two about Purebloods.” Her face crinkled into a smile, her yellow eyes giving Tali a quick once-over. “We’re having some difficulty with Master Sanson’s blood sample. The one taken today does not match the data on his ID card.”

“Is something wrong?”

“Well, an old card can fuss up the machine, but Sanson’s was only issued less than a year ago. I understand that the Jedi Order likes to keep their affairs private, but is it possible that Master Sanson has more than one ID?”

This, Tali knew, was a polite way of implying that Scourge’s ID was a fake. Which it was, in a manner of speaking, but that wouldn’t be unheard of for a Jedi going undercover. Scourge’s new name may have been made-up, but Tali knew that the bioscan was genuine and had not been tampered with.

“I can vouch for the blood scan’s accuracy.”

Dr. Kapshin nodded. “Will you follow me into my consultation room, please?”

_Just great,_ Tali thought. “Don’t wait for me,” she called to Doc, and waved him off. He nodded, giving her a concerned look.

A short ways down the hall was Dr. Kapshin’s office, decorated with illustrations of desert landscapes. The door sealed shut, locking out all the noise and bustle from the hospital, and Tali was left facing Dr. Kapshin in uncomfortable silence. She perched on the edge of a chair facing the desk, while the doctor sat down in the seat facing her, and politely folded her hands.

“I understand that Purebloods often come to the Republic with rocky pasts, filled with things they’d rather leave behind. But I need you to be as forthcoming with me as you can. It is not only for legal reasons that we do these checks. Having a sample prior to illness can tell us much about the progression of certain conditions.”

_‘Progression of certain conditions’_ sounded a bit too ominous for Tali’s taste. “S-” Tali caught herself about to say, “Scourge” and quickly adjusted. “Sanson is not ill. He has been wounded.”

“I can see that. Our technicians always know a Jedi when they see one due to their history of healed injuries. Sanson has this and then some. Frankly, I’ve never seen anyone with such evidence of past trauma. Nearly a third of his bones appear to have been broken at times.”

“Sanson was a Sith lord,” Tali said. This was a place where she could be honest without causing much suspicion. Any Force user seeking asylum in the Republic was likely involved with some degree of Sith training. “A high ranking one,” she added. “If his prior Sith identity got out, it could put him in danger.” She hoped this Dr. Kapshin would take the hint and leave off the prying.

“I guessed as much.” Dr. Kapshin was silent a moment.

“I would do anything to protect him, doctor.” Tali didn't want to resort to threats, but she had no qualms about implying one if needed.

“Anything that happens here in this hospital is confidential, and if need be, I can keep certain information from making it into his files. Do you understand?”

“No need to worry,” Tali said, and then a laugh sputtered out, too nervous to be genuine. “He’s not secretly the Emperor or anything like that.”

“Master Jedi.” Dr. Kapshin was not smiling. “It is not just that Sanson’s blood samples didn’t match. There are compounds in his blood that are not typical, and the evidence of his past injuries implies that some of his wounds occurred a very long time ago. Longer that he should have been alive. My colleagues think there is something wrong with the data, but I wonder if we are actually witnessing something truly extraordinary.”

Tali blinked at her, waiting to see how this doctor had interpreted Scourge’s “abnormalities.”

Dr. Kapshin straightened and gazed off at the one of framed illustrations on the wall. “My father was a Sith. Before I left the Empire, I had the usual upbringing of any Pureblood child, which included education on notable Purebloods in history. Even the most fantastical tales have an element of truth to them. It’s possible I may recognize the name of your Sith friend.”

“And why should this matter?”

“For one thing, Sanson’s cells replicate abnormally fast, giving him an unusual capacity to heal. If we were to take that one step further, such dramatic cell regeneration could, in theory, extend a person’s lifespan quite considerably.”

Tali’s thoughts raced in circles. Was Dr. Kapshin saying that Scourge still had his healing ability? That her attempted cure had failed? Scourge had finally found some acceptance and belonging here. It would be a cruel fate indeed if he were destined to outlive her, forcing him to once again face his future alone. What would happen as Tali started to age and he didn’t? Tali wasn’t sure where their fledgling relationship was headed, but she certainly didn't want it to start already doomed for such a painful and tragic ending.

“How old do you think Sanson really is, Dr. Kapshin?” Tali’s voice sounded small and thin in the quiet office. She had been worried that the doctors here would not be able to comprehend a physiology as complex as Scourge’s, but had not considered that they might understand what was going on only a little too well.

“I was hoping you would be able to tell me that.”

Tali realized that she had let her forehead fall into her hands, and that she’d been staring at the floor for some time. “So,” Tali said, “Sanson’s ability to heal, his unusual life span...are you saying that he…” She almost couldn’t bring herself to utter the words, knowing how foolish they might sound to Dr. Kapshin, yet how grave to her. “...that he might as well be immortal?”

Dr. Kapshin smiled at her. “No biological entity is truly immortal, Master Jedi. All cells give out eventually, no matter how many times they are repaired. Miniscule damage occurs, tiny imperfections are introduced. Right now, Sanson’s body is repairing itself enough to hold back the aging process. However, at some point his aging will outpace his ability to heal. I can assure you that Sanson’s body, in spite of its incredible longevity, is not and never was immortal.”

“Never was? Are you-” Tali faltered. She had been about to protest, but her mind latched onto to what Dr. Kapshin had said. _His body is, and never was, immortal._ His body. Dr. Kapshin understood the tangible, biological world. Not the mysteries of the Force. Perhaps this little detail provided the clue she needed to understand how the Emperor had planned to keep Scourge his servant forever.

A powerful Jedi could exist beyond death, and so could a Sith. She knew that the Emperor had the ability to possess another body and make it his own, since she had in fact, met some of those possessed by him. What if he had planned to do the same to Scourge, removing him from his old body whenever it wore out or was too damaged to sustain him, and transplanting him into a new one? That would allow him to live on. Indefinitely. Or in other words, “immortal.”

Dr. Kapshin shifted in her chair. “Master Sanson appears to have suffered some serious injuries,” she said. “Recently.” Her demeanor had gentled, the testing tone she had employed moments earlier now gone. “Scourge’s body does have a limit on how much injury it can take, and at some point, the natural aging process will overtake his ability to regenerate. He came very close to reaching that injury limit while on Ilum. He suffered localized burns, blaster fire, frostbite, and a severe case of hypothermia which was almost enough to shut down his body’s major vitals. I want to know what his baseline state was so that I can understand what is happening to him now.”

Tali’s head shot up. “What do you mean, what is happening to him?”

“Can we agree to be honest with each other about what we both know? I want to help you and to help Sanson. But knowing what I am up against is crucial.”

Tali looked at her hands. If this Dr. Kapshin had specialized knowledge that could help Scourge, and understood the significance of Scourge’s unusual situation, they might be able to learn something about what the Emperor did to him. The doctor already knew something was amiss. This could be a unique opportunity. Or it could end in disaster.

Tali decided to take a leap of faith.

“He is Lord Scourge, the former Emperor’s Wrath.”

Recognition passed through Dr. Kapshin’s eyes and she drew her hand to her forehead. When she looked up again, her face was full of wonder.

“It occurred to me...but I never...so he is real.”

“Can you tell me now what is wrong with him?”

“There are so many things...so much I…” Dr. Kapshin cleared her throat. “We are dealing with more more here than I am trained to understand.”

Tali hadn’t gone and revealed Scourge’s secret only to be told that this Dr. Kapshin didn’t know enough to help him. She tried to curb the frustration in her voice. “Why are his blood scans not matching each other though? They were only taken months apart, so they should be the same. Is Scourge sick?”  
“I may need to conduct a few more tests. Noninvasive,” she added quickly, no doubt seeing the alarm on Tali’s face, “I assure you. We may be jumping ahead of ourselves here though. The strange chemical compounds in his blood that we are seeing show deterioration from one blood sample to the next. The question is, is this a process that has recently been accelerated by some outside agent or is it a natural consequence of the passage of time?”  
So, Tali thought, Scourge’s body was already beginning its inevitable decline. Would he age slowly, like a normal man, his body picking up where it had left off when he was transformed? Or would the weight of those extra years descended upon him in a rush, taking him from young and hale to decrepit in a fraction of the time? A terrible foreboding crept over her. Could Scourge actually be dying?

“He is already aging, albeit slowly,” Dr. Kapshin said, mimicking Tali’s train of thought. “I suspect that we will continue to see his aging progress, though at what rate I cannot say. Something has been breaking down the cells responsible for his healing ability.” Her voice turned thoughtful. “It’s almost like he was exposed to some kind of radiation...”

Dr. Kapshin had no new insights to add, and Tali was left only with the promise that she would continue to work to find out more. Tali left Dr. Kapshin’s office with the assurance that Dr. Kapshin would keep in touch as to Scourge’s prognosis, and Tali agreed to come visit Scourge again as soon as he was responsive.

Later that day, Tali settled into a small, unassuming hotel room in one of Coruscant’s alien districts, and had a lonely meal of take-out while sitting on the foot of the hotel’s lumpy bed. Her thoughts were turning morose when she her comm unit beeped. It was Kira.

“Hey, thought you might like some company. Want to met me for breakfast tomorrow? We can go to that Nikto place that has the pink omelettes.”

No matter what, Tali decided, she wasn’t going to let the Jedi Order come between her and Kira. They chatted for over an hour, until finally Kira weaseled out of Tali the fear that she had been nursing all day - that Scourge was in danger of aging too suddenly, or worse yet, that her attempted cure had was actually responsible for harming him.

“You’re not the one who pumped him full of chemicals, Tali. If the doctor says he’s aging, it’s probably been going on for a while now.”

“I hope you’re right. Unless the Emperor was somehow holding his body together all these years.”

“Scourge told you that it took more than the Force to transform him. He had all sorts of weird chemical stuff going on in his bloodstream. You had nothing to do with that. You broke the Emperor’s control over his mind. You didn’t do anything to his body.”

_Then who did?_ Something had caused Scourge’s healing ability to falter, and now Tali could only see that as a bad thing. She nodded, however, saying nothing, too exhausted to keep the conversation going any longer.

That night Tali went to bed early, but still struggled to sleep, distracted by the sound of a taxi lane nearby and a the general unfamiliarity of a strange room. She couldn’t seem to fall into anything deeper than a light dose. Her mind conjured up images of Scourge 300 years ago, hooked up to machines, writhing in agony while the Emperor looked on. It was no surprise that such a massive transformation could have only been inflicted through violence and brutality.

Suddenly, Tali shot up in bed and fumbled for her comm. How could she have forgotten? Scourge had indeed been exposed to something recently, something far more damaging than the experiment they had done with the crystal. She waited impatiently while her comm unit established the connection. A few seconds later, Master Kaia appeared, dressed in a night robe, somehow looking elegant even in her pajamas.

“Master Kaia, I’m so sorry to call this late.” Tali knew she sounded breathless and strained. She hoped Kaia would be willing to help her, even now that she was no longer a Jedi. “I need to talk to you. It’s about the Seeds.”


	31. Chapter 31

“I want to do this.” Scourge looked at up Tali from the hospital chair, his eyes dull and bloodshot. Even seated, he was still nearly at eye level with her, yet he looked somehow shrunken in his hospital-issue clothes, not at all like the bristling Sith lord she knew. Tali kept thinking back to her conversation with Dr. Kapshin about how Scourge had nearly reached the limit of his healing abilities back on Ilum. Scourge’s life had always seemed anything but fragile, even when Tali had assumed him to be mortal. If she had not gotten him to Coruscant as fast as she had, would he have died? The thought of losing him filled her with an unexpected pain.

“Your Jedi colleague already came this far,” Scourge was saying, “and I want to go through with the experiment.”

Tali nodded and turned to look back at the doorway. Master Kaia was standing there, her face partially hidden beneath her hood, her hands holding both sides of a Seed box.

“This is highly irregular, you realize.” Master Kaia tucked the box under an arm and lowered her hood. “If someone notices this missing, I’ll have quite a bit of explaining to do.”

“I know,” Tali said. She held out her hands and Kaia placed the sealed box in them. The Seed felt heavier than she remembered. “Think of it as research for the sake of science.”

Kaia sighed. “I feel some degree of personal stake in this as well, I’ll admit. If my shielding technique didn’t work as well as I’d assumed…” She trailed off and gazed with obvious distaste at the Seed box in Tali’s hands.

Dr. Kapshin’s voice came over an intercom. “Are you ready?”

Tali turned and waved to her behind the window glass. They were in a white-walled room, padded floor to ceiling with an absorptive material designed to shield against powerful, hospital-grade scanning rays. Given what they knew about about the Seed, Dr. Kapshin had figured that this room was a good place for their experiment since it would hopefully eliminate the Seed’s influence from leaking out into the hallways. Tali had no idea if the Seed would obey the same laws as body scanning rays, but it was worth a shot.

Tali turned back to Scourge and held out the box. “Here we go.”

He took it from her, cradling it carefully in his big hands. When he looked up once more, Tali saw a glimmer of the old Scourge she knew, the Scourge who was willing to face down any challenge, his face set and hard, his eyes alight with the anticipation of a challenge. Tali moved away reluctantly, and went with Kaia into the doctor’s observation booth.

“Here we can watch the reaction of Scourge’s body to the Seed.” Dr. Kapshin flipped a switch and two small video monitors came on, one showing nothing but fuzz, and the other charting Scourge’s vitals. Dr. Kapshin met eyes with Scourge through the window and nodded to him.

Scourge reached out and unhooked the latch on the box. He swung open the lid, moving slowly, and Tali resisted the urge to use the Force to lessen the effects of the Seeds presence on herself. They couldn’t use the Force to minimize the Seed’s power, not when the whole point was to what the Seed could do. Immediately she felt the Seeds presence filling the room like a dark cloud, billowing around them and chilling Tali’s mood. Kaia’s brow furrowed, and Tali guessed her face was doing the same. The Seed’s power felt like a stench pulling her under, almost suffocating in its weight, and Tali found herself taking a quick shallow breaths to relieve the pressure. Scourge’s face wrinkled but otherwise he showed no reaction at all.

Dr. Kapshin jerked forward and Tali jumped to reach for her, but the doctor was not in pain. She slapped her hand on the table and leaned towards the monitor, eyes wide. The video screen that had been blank before was now showing a mess of pulsing, jumping shapes. Tali could make no sense of it, but Dr. Kapshin whistled through her teeth.

“There it is. It’s like they are disintegrating. Incredible.”

“What is?” Tali said. “Should we stop?”

Dr. Kapshin was tapping console buttons and examining read-outs. “He doesn’t feel any pain? There’s no heart rate or respiration increase.”

“No,” Kaia spoke up from behind. “I shielded him so he is protected from the Seed’s power.”

Dr. Kapshin turned to glance at Kaia. “Yet his body is still feeling it.”

Scourge was looking up at them through the window. Dr. Kapshin waved her hand and nodded. “Close the box,” she said through the intercom. Then, to Tali and Kaia she added, “I have it recorded, and there’s a enough data to analyze here.”

Scourge slammed the lid closed and the video monitor went quiet.

“So the Seed was still harming him all along?” Tali looked back and forth between Kaia and Dr. Kapshin. “Every time he was exposed to one?” This wasn’t good news.

“Looks like it.” Dr. Kapshin said. “The Seed is killing off cells, including -- no, especially -- the ones responsible for Scourge’s healing. We have found our culprit.”

Kaia stepped out to retrieve the box, and Tali stared at her when she returned to the room. “It’s breaking through your shield. How is that possible?” She hadn't meant to sound so accusing, and was surprised at the edge in her voice. Immediately she felt remorse, but thankfully Kaia did not look offended.

“My shield protects him from mental effects, such as attempts to influence mood or personality, invasions or mental attacks, and any pain associated thereof. I can’t say what the Seed might be able to do to his body. We have never documented any physical effects without there first being mental ones. I should contact Master Gend about this. This should go in the data record.”

Dr. Kapshin bustled about pulling data cards from the terminals and flicking switches. Tali stared out the viewing window at Scourge, who was leaning with his knees on his elbows, preoccupied with his thoughts. All those times Scourge had accompanied her to collect the Seeds, they had been doing their damage on him, breaking down his healing ability and rendering him more mortal by the day. No wonder the Seeds had caused him so much pain. Kaia’s shielding had simply masked what was going on, allowing it to continue undetected all the while. It had taken powerful Sith Alchemy to change Scourge, and now it had taken Sith Alchemy again to undo it. Perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising. 

Now the only question that remained was, how fast was Scourge aging now?

Later, after Tali had thanked both Kaia and Dr. Kapshin for their time, she wandered back to her hotel room, taking the long route back after getting off at the taxi pad. She had no sooner walked in the door when her comm unit beeped. Kira, she assumed. She always had good timing when news was afoot.

But it was not Kira. The line was coded yellow, meaning some encryption was in place, and the frequency hailing her had been blocked from detection. Tali open the channel and a man appeared, middle-aged with a pleasant face and graying hair. She didn’t recognize him. He nodded to Tali.

“Good afternoon, Tal’ilavi.”

She was about to ask how he knew her name when the man continued. “I am Ardun Kothe, with the Republic’s Strategic Information Service. And I would like to offer you a job.”

00o00

Tali focused on the target, letting her mind become still and silent, and squeezed the trigger. The blaster bolt was a brilliant blue flash at the corner of her vision, and a split second later, a hole appeared on the target screen.

Nearby a voice made a noise of approval. “Hip shot, could shatter bone under some circumstances. Not bad. Need to aim higher if you want a fatal shot though.”

Tali lowered the blaster and turned. Agent Theron Shan leaned against a nearby wall, arms crossed.

“You’re a fast learner,” he said. “Typical of Force users, I suppose.”

“Do you have other ex-Jedi working for the SIS?”

“Besides Agent Kothe, you mean? You’d be surprised. And some still-very much-attached-to-the-Order-Jedi too.” He straightened up and checked his chrono. “Good work. Why don’t we call it a day?”

Last week, Tali had turned over all her belongings - minus her lightsaber of course - to the Jedi Order. She had spent every day since with either Agent Kothe or Agent Shan, signing documents, receiving her first Republic issue blaster pistol, and then learning to use it. She wouldn’t be much use under cover if her lightsaber gave her away every time she pulled it out.

Tali found that she was enjoying her lessons, and the promise of feeling useful again had minimized some of the pain of leaving the Order. She could still serve the people of the Republic, still defend the defenseless, still lead the charge against evil. And her skills as a Jedi gave her a leg up in her training.

Tali was riding a public taxi back to her motel room - Agent Shan had promised her new accommodations soon - when her comm beeped. She answered it, leaning forward to raise her voice against the wind from the roofless taxi.

“Hey Kira. What’s up?”

“Tali, something’s happened. Scourge was discharged from the hospital. Almost a week ago.”

“A week ago?” Tali reached back through her mind. She had been so busy with SIS training that she hadn’t been to visit Scourge for a while. Had it really been a whole week? “Where is he now?”

And why hadn’t he contacted her?

“Satele sent a contingent of Jedi to meet him as he left the hospital. I just found out about all this barely an hour ago, by the way. All I got out of her was that they escorted him to the nearest spaceport and saw him off on a flight out. Something about him being “an avowed Sith,” making his presence on Coruscant a security risk. I have no idea where he went. Satele says he’s out of Republic space and that’s all she knows.”

“Great.” Tali rubbed her forehead and felt one of her lekku beginning to twitch. “They didn’t send him back to the Empire did they?”

“I don’t know. I’m so sorry Tali.”

“I can’t believe this.” He had disappeared all over again. How unpleasantly familiar. “Thanks for calling Kira. I should go. I’m at my stop.” Tali closed to connection, tossed a credit stick to the droid driver and slunk away into the nearest crowd. She felt her anger building, followed an instant later by a guilty reminder that she needed to control herself and calm down. Calm down? What did it matter now that she wasn’t a Jedi? She could be as angry as she damn well chose.

Back at her hotel room, Tali’s anger petered out and she slunk into despair. She stared at her comm unit, wondering why Scourge had never called. Then she remembered. She had given up her comm unit the same day that she had turned in her old ship at the spaceport. The SIS had given her a new one, and of course Tali had made sure that Kira was the first to get her new frequency. But Scourge didn’t have it yet, and she had planned on telling him after he got out of the hospital.

Tali uttered a few choice swear words, which made her feel only a fraction better. Then she took a few deep breaths.

Then she called Master Satele.

00o00

“Yes, I remember,” Satele said. “I saw that you had turned in your old comm unit.”

“Well, can I come by and clear it out of any old messages? I can be by tonight.”

“Handing over your comm unit wasn’t necessary. It was yours to keep. I sent it to you through the mail a few days ago. You should check with your SIS commander.”

Tali suppressed a groan of frustration. “I’ll...ok, fine. Thanks. I’ll check there then.” She started to cut the call when Satele held out a hand.

“Tali...if you are looking for Scourge, I just want you to know that we paid for his ticket to the nearest space station. But from there, he was allowed to go anywhere he chose, as long as it was out of Republic jurisdiction. I wish him well. I hope you understand why we had to do this. Chancellor Saresh has been putting pressure-”

“Yeah, I know. I get it. Thanks for the info. I gotta go.”

Satele’s figure faded out and Tali sighed. She didn’t want to hate Satele. But she couldn’t stomach any more niceties with her either.

She called the SIS office next, but both Agent Kothe and Agent Shan were out and she didn’t have either of their personal numbers. By the time tomorrow rolled around, Tali was a mess of nerves. She burst into the mailroom at SIS headquarters and accosted the first droid she found.

“Yes, agent. You have your own mail cubby for non-digital messages right over there. I just added you yesterday. You’ll have to choose a passcode and input your fingerprints-”

“Right. Good. I’ll go do that now.” Tali pushed past the droid and found the mailbox with her name on it. When at last she got the through the security set-ups and yanked the door open she nearly choked on her relief when she saw the package that contained her comm.

Once outside, Tali tore open the seal. Inside was a painfully polite message from Satele informing her that she could keep her comm, bla bla bla, and beneath that was the comm itself. The green message light was blinking. There were four calls, the first from Kira with now irrelevant news, but the last ones were all from Scourge. Or at least Tali assumed so. Ever cautious to the end, he had not left a visual message, but three calls had been registered, each one a day apart. Those were all from last week. The most recent was only two days old and contained nothing but a set of galactic coordinates and a single text message.

_I am waiting for you._

Tali bought a ticket to Tatooine that afternoon.


	32. Chapter 32

A faint breeze teased its fingers through the gaps in Scourge’s shirt, heralding the arrival of the cooler evening air. Across the ridge, Tatooine’s two setting suns gave off the last of the day’s dying light, casting the horizon in shifting ripples of haze. Scourge stood at the summit of a canyon, letting his bare feet sink into the sun-warmed sand. He closed his eyes and took a breath, then slipped into a rotation of empty-handed combat forms. The creeping anxiety that had gripped him all day slid to the back of his mind, where it waited, not banished, but at least subdued for the time being.

Before releasing him, the staff at Xeno General told him that Tali had come to visit nearly every day while he languished in the Kolto tank, but after the experiment with the Seed, she had stopped coming. For a week, he heard nothing, and the messages he left on her comm went unacknowledged. Then, it was time for him to be discharged, and he found the Jedi there to meet him.

He requested one last visit to the Senate Tower, but was denied. He asked to see Tali before being escorted to the spaceport, but that was denied as well. He pressed, only to discover the most surprising information of all. Tali had left the Jedi Order.

He inquired after Kira next, but was told that she was on a mission and her whereabouts were no longer his concern. The Jedi sent to lead him off-planet were vigilant and wary; Scourge guessed that they had been told to be prepared for possible resistance. He made it a point to ignore them as much as possible, and rode to the spaceport wearing the most placid and bland expression he could muster. He would not give them the satisfaction of acting like the Sith they expected.

This was not the end. He and Tali were tied together by fate, and no matter where she was in this wide galaxy, the Force would draw them back together. He was sure of it. So he had come to Tatooine, where the hot sands and sweeping vistas reminded him of Korriban, and had set up a small and unassuming home base. Here he could concentrate on rehabilitating his body and honing his skills, while in quieter moments he searched with the Force, sending out tendrils of power, hoping to touch that familiar sense that was Tali. His reach was like a beacon, not only illuminating his search, but powering a call which he hoped she would feel and respond to.

His exercises were interrupted by a beep on his holocomm. He rushed over to where he had left it on a nearby rock, but it was not Tali. It was, however, another call that he had been anticipating.

“Dr. Kapshin.”

The tiny holo image of Xeno General’s Pureblood specialist appeared in his hand and gave him a courteous nod. At least some in the Republic still acknowledged him with respect.

“My lord,” she said. “I have news from your recent blood tests. Is this a good time to talk?”

Did that mean she was about to deliver bad news, or was it simply a request born of politeness? Dr. Kapshin, Scourge had quickly learned, had suspected his true identity early on, and had been more than willing to help him scope out the extent of his biological transformation under the Emperor. From her he had learned how his ability to heal had been compromised, falling short when it came to repairing the extent of the injuries he had sustained on Ilum. This explained why Tali had taken him to Xeno General rather than let his normal healing trance take over and do the job.

“What news do you have, doctor?”

“The composites in your blood, the ones related to your healing ability, are still breaking down, even after your exposure to the Seed. As they deteriorate, so does the rapidity and effectiveness of your self-healing.”

“What does that mean?”

“That means you will soon be vulnerable to wounds, illness, and aging, just like anyone else.”  
So, Scourge thought, all that pain from the Seeds had not been for naught. He had been undergoing yet another transformation, nearly as painful as the first, only more prolonged.

“How fast am I aging?” Scourge had always assumed that he would be killed in battle. Now a new thought occurred to him. Would it be possible for him to die of old age?

“I have been looking into that. I took some cell samples and put them through an artificially accelerated aging process. Eventually, the unique properties in your blood disappeared entirely, and from that point on the expected level of degeneration took place. In short, Scourge, you are gradually becoming more mortal every day.”

At those words Scourge felt a strange, bittersweet sense of both loss and relief. For a moment he glanced away. Across the canyon the stars were just poking through the veil of dusk. It was beautiful. He could no longer take such sights for granted.

“What is my life expectancy?”

“Traces of your healing ability still linger, so I estimate that you may live ten to twenty years beyond the normal life expectancy for your species. Maybe you’d get a longevity mention on the holonews, but nothing so unusual as to cause suspicion. Right now, your cellular age appears to be somewhere between twenty-eight and thirty years old.”

“I was transformed when I was twenty-six,” Scourge said. So, his aging had indeed begun. “Thank you,” he added quietly.

“Of course,” Dr. Kapshin replied. “It has been an honor,” she paused to give him the most minute bow, “my lord.”

Scourge set the holo back onto a nearby rock and stood staring out over the canyon. Lord Drowl’s face flashed in his mind, along with the weight of everything he had endured on Ilum. The torture of his fingers being sawed off, the terrible vibration of the knife as it serrated bone. The relentless, numbing cold, which seeped into every pore, turning his muscles sluggish and his thoughts cloudy. Then there were the the electric shocks, so meticulously applied and measured, and the burning agony that followed. It had almost killed him. He had left his body then.

_I have already tasted death,_ he thought. He had not been tethered to his body as he had so long feared. He recalled the way he had felt himself dissipating, like water evaporating into steam, while his sense of self stretched to encompass the room, the sky, the very planet. He’d never felt the Force so strong as in that moment. It filled him, surrounded him. He was the Force. He thought suddenly of the old Jedi saying which, until now, had made little sense to him. _There is no death. There is only the Force._ He knew now what awaited him in the end. The thought gave him peace. Strange.

_I am mortal again._

Scourge dropped his head into his hands as a wave of emotion rocked through him with such power that he choked aloud. It was true then. He was at last cured of the Emperor’s curse.

00o00

Tali lowered her sand goggles and cut the speeder’s engine. Not far away, she could see a small compound of domed buildings nestled at the top of the canyon ridge. From here it looked like a small, cozy homestead. She fished out her comm and checked the coordinates. This was the place.

_I am waiting for you._

Tali shivered. Was it her imagination or was there something else here, a sense of urgency, _a pull,_ that drove her forward? It was more than just the anticipation of a reunion, it was like she had bumped into an invisible signpost pointing the way, a buzzing that tickled her skin and entwined itself around her lekku. Power saturated the place, flaring like a lodestar in the night. Once such a sign of Sith presence would have made Tali wary and cautious, but Scourge’s signature was as familiar as it was forbidding, and Tali felt herself drawn forward. She decided to approach the rest of the way on foot.

She brought her pack with her, taking special care not to jostle the package she had secured inside it. She had gone to too many lengths to bring that all the way here than to let it get damaged now. Tali climbed the ridge and noticed perimeter droids scoping the area. She was more cautious as she came within distance of the first droid, but before she could decide how to handle the situation, the droid spit out a flickering green light which scanned over her body. Tali reached instinctively for her lightsaber, but the droid emitted a few bloops and then spun to a halt before her.

“Bioscan recognized // Authorization granted // Welcome Tal’ilavi.” It floated to the side to let her pass.

Tali entered the compound and stepped into the first of several small domed buildings. The decor here was plain and functional with a few pegs mounted on the wall, a bench, and a small mat by the door. A single pair of shoes lay on the mat, positioned neatly with the toes pointed towards the back wall. Wondering if such behavior was expected, Tali removed her own sandals and placed them alongside the shoes.

Down a set of stairs Tali found a round, open atrium, common for homes on Tatooine, whose walls led into other underground rooms. Tali peered into some of the rooms, many of which were empty. In the farthest wall there was an archway which led into a cavern-like hallway. At the end Tali found a bedroom. This room was the most furnished of all she had seen so far. A huge bed took up the center of room, neatly made, with a light-weight orange comforter trimmed in gold. Above the headboard was the only piece of decoration Tali had seen in this place so far - an illustration depicting what Tali guessed was the Sith Academy on Korriban. There was a small chronometer on a bedside table as well as an empty drinking glass. A large chest of drawers sat nearby, along with a desk and a rack propped against the wall. A lone lightsaber hilt hung there. On the far side of the room was a niche with a tiled sonic shower, but Tali noted that there was also a water spout attachment and a tank tucked behind a curtain. This room was obviously Scourge’s personal space, and Tali began to feel like an intruder, so she left.

She traversed the entire length of the homestead, seeing no sign of Scourge, until at last she noticed a figure way atop an outcropping behind the buildings. The suns had almost set now, but Tali recognized Scourge’s silhouette against the backdrop of the dusk sky. He was talking to someone on holocall. Tali made her way up the ridge. As she drew near, Scourge cut the call, setting aside the holo. He appeared distracted and surprisingly unaware of her presence. He sunk his head into his hands and Tali paused. For a long moment he was still, until at last he took a shuddering breath and turned away.

Tali finished the climb, feeling apprehensive, but when at last she reached the summit, Scourge turned and spotted her. Given the unusual display of emotion Tali had witnessed moments before, she was not expecting the relaxed smile which greeted her.

“Tali. I knew you would come.”

A pleasant shiver traveled down her lekku upon hearing that rich and deeply familiar voice.

“There’s an intruder in your hideout, Sith,” Tali said, giving him a grin. “Seems she just walked right in. What are you going to do about it?”

Scourge the Sith lord, whose perpetual scowl Tali had long assumed to be a permanent part of his countenance, threw back his head and laughed. When he quieted, his eyes had an unmistakable sparkle in them.

“I will capture her of course.”

Tali’s heart was beating just a little bit too fast and her throat felt suddenly dry, making her next words more halting than she had intended. “I think you’ve already done that.”

“No. Not yet I haven’t.” Scourge’s smile was mischievous and slow as he began to stalk towards her.

A breathless laugh escaped as Tali threw out her leg at him in a playful, half-hearted kick. He snatched her bare foot out of the air, and Tali was left precariously balanced on her remaining foot, trying to hold her stance in the shifting sand.

Scourge tilted his head and drew her leg close. He locked eyes with her a moment before brushing his lips against the skin along the inside of her ankle. Tali was reminded of that day so long ago on her ship when she and Scourge had tussled over the last remaining candy in a box. How far they had come since then.

“I have missed you,” he said.

“Nothing could have kept me away.”

“Yes,” he said raising his head once more. “Not even the Order it seems. What happened?”

Tali shook her head, uncertain with how to begin, and not yet willing to explore the depths of her mixed feelings on the subject. “We had a disagreement. Too many perhaps.”

Scourge gently lowered her leg to the ground. “You have the freedom you deserve now. It seems we are both exiles, of a kind. What will you do next?”

“I have a new job actually.” What would Scourge think of her working directly for the Republic now? She searched his face carefully as she spoke. “Chancellor Saresh contacted the Order, only a day or so after I left. She has a lead on the Dread Masters and wanted me involved. When she found out I was no longer a Jedi, she got a government SIS operative to recruit me instead. I am working for an Agent Shan now.”

“Shan? Any relation to grand Master Satele Shan?”

“Yup, not a coincidence. He is Satele’s son.”

“Ah,” Scourge said. “The hypocrisy of the Jedi never ceases to amaze me.”

“Yeah, his relationship with her is a bit awkward I gather. So anyway, I told him I’d be glad to work for the SIS, but that they needed to hire an associate of mine as a consultant for the job as well.” Tali wasn’t sure if Scourge would ever agree to such a thing, but at least he didn’t look displeased, just curious.

“Did you really?”

“We have the backing we need now to locate and bring down the Dread Masters. And I want you by my side, Scourge.”

“Then that is where I want to be. Do they know who they are hiring?”

“Um, not yet. But I suspect they have an inkling.” Tali decided to change the subject. “I like your new place. Actually, I brought you something.”

“A Sith housewarming gift? I’m intrigued.”

Tracking down this gift had been no easy task. Tali had wanted to surprise him, but now seemed as good a time as any.

“I brought you some…” Tali paused, struggling to remember the pronunciation in the Sith language. “Hy-ock-shwo-za.”

“ _Hyaloksh Wodza?_ ” Now Scourge really did look impressed. “Wherever did you find that?”

“Coruscant has a big alien district. I had to have it packed in a special freezer box to keep it fresh, but it came with the grill sauce and spice mix. I hope you know how to cook it, because I don’t know if I can get it right. The recipe said burnt, but not quite?”

A faraway look was crossing Scourge’s face. He made a faint noise that could have been a sigh. “That is one of my favorite foods. You remembered me saying that?”

Tali nodded. “What does the name mean anyway?”

Scourge gave her a sideways glance. “It doesn’t translate well.” He looked her in the eye and touched a bandaged hand to his chest. “I’m impressed. Truly. I look forward to dining with you very much.”

Later that evening, Tali sprawled at Scourge’s side, feeling languid and calm against the cool, soft sheets of his bed. She lightly touched his chin, where Scourge was missing one of his tendrils.

“Frostbite,” Scourge murmured. “Along with one of my fingers. The other two Lord Drowl took.”

“Did Dr. Kapshin have anything new to tell you before you left the hospital?”

“She did. I am now almost boringly normal.” There was mirth in his tone, and satisfaction as well. After three lifetimes of being exceptional, perhaps the thought of being “normal” was a novelty. “The Seed is responsible,” he continued, “just as we found. It has undone everything the Emperor did to me. I can be injured, I can age, and I can die.”

“Then that is great news. I mean...not that you’ll die someday, but you know what I-”

Scourge chuckled low in his throat and rolled over, silencing her with a kiss. For a moment, Tali lost track of where she was and what she had been saying.

“You will have many years yet to spend with me...” He kissed her again, gently curling his bandaged fingers around her cheek. “Perhaps you will even get to see me grow old someday.”

“I hope so.”

Scourge raised himself up on one arm and then drew a hand down one of her lekku. “On Ilum you told me you loved me.” His voice was contemplative. “You would give your heart to a Sith?”

Tali shifted her head to gaze up at him. She already knew her answer. It didn't feel like a revelation, it just was, like the way winter followed fall or clouds heralded rain . She squirmed closer, settling against him. Scourge was gazing down at her, the expression on his face open and calm, his eyes creased from his smile.

Tali lifted her head off the pillow and kissed him gently. “I already have.”


	33. Epilogue

Tali sat in the ship’s galley staring at a vintage military recruitment poster and munching on a jogan fruit. This little ship didn’t have the built-in meditation alcove that her previous ship had had, but the SIS knew a thing or two about gadgets, of which this ship had plenty. She especially liked how the sound system could be set to play a different selection of music in each room. Tali had some Rylothian folk music pumping through the galley speakers now, and it was hard to feel anything but chipper with those cheerful bells and upbeat rhythms keeping her toes tapping. This ship was smaller than her previous one, but there was room enough for her and Scourge and Tee-seven, and Tali was beginning to feel more at home each day. She debated replacing the military poster, which had come with the ship, with some artwork of her choosing, but decided against it. The style was rather quaint and it colors did match the countertops.

There was a chime from the other room and Tali reached over the silence the music. Agent Shan had told her to expect a holocall from her new contact regarding her next assignment. She licked the juice from the fruit off her fingers and wandered into the main room.

The security code on the holoterminal glowed red, which gave Tali pause. This frequency was not only tight, it was double encrypted. Even Agent Shan usually only called her on yellow channels. Tali opened the line and saw a familiar form materialize above the holoprojector.

“Kira!”

“Hey there. Weren’t expecting me, were you?”

“What’s up? What are you doing calling me on a red line? You done being all mysterious about this latest mission they’ve got you on?”

“Yup. I just talked to your boss. Looks like we’re going to be working together.”

“Wait, are you the contact Agent Shan said would be calling me?” Tali could see by the grin on Kira’s face that she was. “Theron didn’t tell me it would be you.”

“I wanted it to be a surprise. Anyway, we’ve got some serious stuff to discuss. Set your navicomputer for the moon Yavin IV. We’ll be meeting there.”

“Is Yavin where you’ve been this past month?” Tali and Kira did their best to stay in touch, but the nature of their respective jobs often meant that they had confidential assignments that they weren’t allowed to share with one another.

“I just arrived here actually. But we’ve been working on this one a while, and now they’re pulling together a bunch of assets and getting us to join forces.” Kira’s face grew serious. “It’s big Tali.”

“Who’s ‘they’?” Tali wondered who else she would be working with.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. I think you should hear the rest from Satele.”

“Master Satele is there?” Tali felt a lump forming in her chest. She wasn’t sure she was ready to face the Grand Master yet. Then again, maybe it was best not to put it off.

Kira glanced aside. “She wants to speak to you now.”

“Ok, I guess that-” Tali closed her mouth as Satale Shan appeared over the holoprojector. Her demeanor was grave.

“Tal’ilavi,” she said politely. “It’s good to see you. I hear you’ve found a place with the SIS. Theron says you are fitting in well there.”

Tali nodded. “It’s been good work.”

“I have some important things to tell you, the first of which is rather personal.”

Tali nodded, stilling her mind and breathing slowly. “I’m listening.”

“I want to apologize for...for the way things were handled regarding Lord Scourge, and the way I acted in particular.”

Tali was aware of Scourge approaching behind her, hovering at the edges of the room, but out of sight. Tali nodded, not sure yet of what she should say.

“I believed I knew the will of the Force.” Satele’s shoulders rose and fell as she looked away. Tali had never seen her so worn and tired. “It is our duty to be open to what fate brings us. Sometimes that includes strange and unlikely allies.” Satele looked up, straightening, and there was steel in her eyes. “I was presumptuous, and I’m sorry.”

Whatever was burdening Satele, it was more than just guilt. Tali felt some reciprocation was necessary. “I’m sorry I acted so angrily in front of the Council that day. I’m sorry for the way things ended.”

“There is no shame in deciding what path is right for you. You must follow where your calling leads you.”

Tali nodded.

“I have news. News that pertains to your particular interests as well as Scourge’s. I am here on Yavin because we have found the hiding place of the Emperor. Scourge was correct. The Emperor has not yet been truly vanquished. The entire galaxy is in danger, Republic citizens and Imperials alike.”

Tali’s heart sank.

“He intends to destroy everything, even his own subjects,” Satele continued. “Darth Marr is with me now, and we have taken counsel together on how to solve this problem.”

Tali started at that. Satele was looking back at her, her face serious and still. She wasn’t the type to joke, but Tali was still in disbelief. “You are working with the Dark Council?” An alliance of this caliber was unprecedented in galactic history.

“Not officially, no. And right now we are working only with Marr and the subordinates immediately under his command. Everyone who has been involved with this, who might have knowledge to guide us, is needed here on Yavin now. That includes you and Scourge.”

“Is the Chancellor involved?”

“We don’t have time for investigations and committees. This is an emergency alliance, and a temporary one. When all is done, if we are still alive, we can explain to Saresh then.”

Master Satele, breaking rules and making justifications for them? Tali could be on board with that. “All right then. What about Darth Marr? He isn’t going to snatch Scourge up the second he hits the planet?”

“He has given his word.”

“And you trust-”

“The Emperor is the bigger concern. Even Marr has admitted to wanting Scourge’s advice. I don’t doubt him.”

Tali’s mind was spinning. “So, you are working with Marr...and that got you thinking about how I wanted to work with Scourge.”

“You and Scourge have a history and insight on this matter. You both have proven yourselves in many missions, both for the Order and for the SIS. I would want you here regardless, but yes, I realized that an apology was needed before I officially asked for your assistance.”

Tali lowered her head. Understanding, acceptance. Isn’t that all she ever wanted? She glanced behind her at Scourge, who was watching her intently. _And freedom_ , she added. Scourge gave her a barely perceptible nod.

“Thank you, Master Satele. I recognize the importance of the situation. I will come right away. But…” Tali’s thoughts shifted. “Are you asking for my help as a Jedi or as an SIS operative?”

“I make no assumptions, Tali. But if, when all this is said and done, you wish to discuss other alternatives for your future, I would be willing.”

Did she want to go back to the Order? It was an overwhelming thought that filled Tali with so many contradictory emotions - elation, relief, wariness, suffocation - that she wasn’t sure yet where she stood. This decision didn’t need to be made now. Perhaps the Force really could guide her to the right choice, if she could open herself to fate, as Scourge believed.

Satele could see the wash of feelings passing across Tali’s countenance. “Both you and Scourge will have the freedom to act decisively,” she said. “You won’t be held back by restrictions or rules. This task requires quick thinking and independent decision-making.”

“Thank you, Master Satele.”

“Good then.” Satele clasped her hands before her. “We will need all our courage in this endeavor, Tali. We are going up against the Emperor. His will is strong, but our will must be stronger.”

Satele’s image blinked out. Tali turned around to see Scourge standing with his arms crossed. He nodded to her.

“Well.” A smile crossed his face. “What are we waiting for?”

Tali grinned back at him. As terrifying as it may be to imagine facing the Emperor again, It felt good to know she was about to embark upon a quest that, once again, would test their skills to the limit. “We’ll show this Emperor who really controls things, won’t we?”

Scourge laid a hand on her shoulder, his red eyes blazing. “Together we are a formidable force. Let us go then and impart _our_ will upon the galaxy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading and for sharing your comments all this while! I really appreciate hearing from you, or even just seeing the hits that tell me that people are finding and reading this story. Star Wars is already pretty awesome, but how much better could it be with a little bad boy Sith romance for some added spice, hmmm?
> 
> I originally thought this story would be maybe 5 chaps long tops. Funny, huh? I thought writing a romance with Scourge would be really difficult, and I wasn't sure I could pull it off. Sith aren't exactly known for having healthy, warm fuzzy relationships after all. But we get some tantalizing glimpses of what a feeling, emotional Scourge might have looked like from his conversations, and heck we even find out that the big scary Sith lord was once _in love._ Scourge is insightful, curious, downright poetic at times, and above all, patient. Surely those are qualities that can make him a sympathetic character. So anyway, I had fun and I loved sharing this story with other people. Thanks for coming along with me for the ride.


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